Researchers propose a radical idea: ripples in the fabric of galaxies could be echoes of sound waves from the infant Universe, hinting at an age far exceeding current estimates.
This theory, put forward by physicist Rajendra Gupta, challenges the standard model by suggesting the Universe might be 26.7 billion years old, not 13.7 billion. His analysis points to large-scale cosmic structures as evidence of these ancient sound waves.
Gupta argues that the accelerated expansion of the Universe, typically attributed to dark energy, is actually caused by weakening forces as space expands, eliminating the need for dark matter entirely.
This challenges existing models that struggle to explain the rapid maturity of early galaxies. Reconciling these observations might force us to either adjust our understanding of galactic and black hole evolution or accept a much older Universe.
The idea hinges on a specific force – a "coupling constant" – potentially changing over vast stretches of time, affecting the expansion of space. It's a controversial notion, echoing a concept rejected nearly a century ago known as the "tired light" hypothesis.
Gupta's version, CCC+TL (covarying coupling constants plus tired light), proposes that changing interactions between known particles, not dark energy, drive the Universe's expansion. However, for CCC+TL to gain traction, it needs to explain large-scale observations better than current models.
Gupta's latest work attempts this by using CCC+TL to explain both the cosmic microwave background radiation and fluctuations in matter distribution caused by sound waves in the early Universe.
While CCC+TL aligns with some aspects of these cosmic echoes, it comes at the cost of discarding dark matter altogether. While a simpler explanation might be appealing, the validity of CCC+TL hinges on its ability to solve more problems than it creates.
For now, the jury's still out. Our Universe might be younger than 26.7 billion, but these intriguing findings suggest a cosmos with a few fascinating mysteries yet to be unraveled.
Sources:
Published 2024 March 15 by the American Astronomical Society • Testing CCC+TL Cosmology with Observed Baryon Acoustic Oscillation Features
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