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- Our existing cosmological framework—known as lambda cold dark matter, or ΛCDM—depends on theorized dark energy to account for the accelerating growth of the universe.
- Nonetheless, a rival theory termed “timescape cosmology” posits that numerous observations can be elucidated by variations in how time progresses between densely packed areas of the universe (like galaxies) and vast empty regions.
- A recent investigation of 1,535 Type 1a supernovae—a cosmic entity frequently utilized for examining the universe’s expansion—reveals that this “lumpy” universe hypothesis offers a superior explanation for new findings compared to the conventional ΛCDM model.
An enigmatic conundrum resides at the core of contemporary cosmology, fundamentally linked to the continually accelerating growth of the universe. Initially identified in 1998 by scrutinizing distant Type 1a supernovae through the Hubble Space Telescope (a breakthrough that later earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011), this observable expansion cannot easily be clarified by any known matter or energy. Thus, the prevailing cosmological model—identified as lambda cold dark matter, or ΛCDM—uses dark energy to rationalize this accelerated growth.
However, a fresh study introduced by one of the advocates of an alternative cosmological framework—termed “timescape cosmology”—contends that emerging evidence, including the ongoing dilemma known as the Hubble Tension and new findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)—indicates that dark energy may, in fact, be an optical illusion stemming from our methods of calculating values for time and space. The findings of this study were published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Characterizing a Nobel Prize-winning discovery as primarily a measurement blunder is a substantial claim, but David Wiltshire—who initially proposed the timescape theory in 2007—and a group of scientists from the University of Canterbury (located in Christchurch, New Zealand) contend that enhanced evaluation of the light from Type 1a supernovae indicates that time dilation between dense matter zones of the universe (such as the Milky Way) and large void areas (like Boötes Void) could elucidate the perceived ongoing expansion of the universe.
Rather than depending on the unverified notion of dark energy, the authors suggest that differences in kinetic energy expansion distributed across a “lumpy” universe may account for these observations.
“Our results indicate that we do not require dark energy to justify why the universe seems to expand at an accelerating pace,” Wiltshire remarked in a press statement. “Dark energy is a misinterpretation of discrepancies in the kinetic energy of expansion, which is not unified in a universe as irregular as the one we inhabit… With new information, the universe’s most significant enigma might be resolved by the end of this decade.”
In contrast to ΛCDM, which perceives the universe as consistent if one adopts a sufficiently broad perspective, the fundamental concept behind Wiltshire’s “timescape cosmology” is that time progresses differently throughout the universe—particularly, it varies markedly between dense areas and voids. In this perspective, time could flow as much as 35 percent more slowly in dense areas like a galaxy, compared to void regions. This implies that time would elapse significantly swifter in these void areas than it does here on Earth, which might clarify the appearance of an accelerating, expanding universe.
Within this recent study, the authors examined 1,535 distinct Type 1a supernovae and performed a Bayesian analysis of the data—a method that essentially establishes parameters and quantifies probabilities based on partial information. The findings revealed a notable association with the timescape theory, particularly in the low-redshift region (comparatively nearby).
This does not suggest that dark energy has been disproven—quite the opposite. The authors clarify that significantly more data would be required to fully validate the timescape model. However, fortuitously, such data might be supplied by the European Space Agency’s Euclid spacecraft (a device specifically designed to investigate the progression of the dark universe) or NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
The latter spacecraft will not position itself in one of Earth’s Lagrange points until 2027. However, upon doing so, it will commence its quest for solutions to all the persistent inquiries regarding dark energy—most notably, whether it actually exists at all.
Darren resides in Portland, has a feline companion, and writes/edits about science fiction and the workings of our universe. His past work can be discovered at Gizmodo and Paste if you search thoroughly.
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