A team of physicists and astronomers at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand has proposed a radical new idea that challenges the long-held belief about dark energy’s role in the universe’s expansion. According to the study, the universe is not expanding uniformly, but rather in a “lumpy” fashion.
The team’s analysis of supernovae light curves revealed this lumpy expansion. They explored the “timescape model,” which suggests that gravity slows down time. This means clocks in empty voids tick faster than those in dense regions like galaxies, allowing for more expansion. As a result, these voids experience more time, making it appear as though the universe is accelerating its expansion.
The study’s findings were based on data from the Cosmic Microwave Background and Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument. However, recent observations highlight discrepancies with the standard cosmological model, particularly the Hubble tension and dark energy behavior.
The researchers believe that a simple average expansion law emerges from complexity due to the cosmic web of filaments and clusters interspersed with vast empty voids. The timescape model offers an alternative explanation for the universe’s accelerated expansion without relying on dark energy.
While the study provides compelling evidence, more research is needed to confirm its validity. The European Space Agency’s Euclid satellite will play a crucial role in testing this theory by distinguishing between the traditional Friedmann equation and the timescape model.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/study-blows-dark-energy-theory-132330258.html