Composite image of the Perseus galaxy cluster using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, ESA’s XMM-Newton and Hitomi, a Japanese-led X-ray telescope. Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXO/Fabian et al.; Radio: Gendron-Marsolais et al.; NRAO/AUI/NSF Optical: NASA, SDSS
Key points:
- The current model for the universe is that is comprises normal matter, dark matter and dark energy, but a new combination model uncovered that the universe has no room for dark matter.
- The accelerated expansion of the universe was the result of the weakening of the forces of nature rather than dark energy.
- Challenging the existence of dark matter changes the foundations of cosmology and may alter how scientists explore the fundamental properties of the universe.
In cosmology, dark matter describes all that appears not to interact with light or the electromagnetic field, or that can only be explained through gravitational force. The current theoretical model for the composition of the universe is that it is made of dark matter along with normal matter and dark energy.
Now, a new study, published in Astrophysical Journal, challenges the current model of the universe.
Rajendra Gupta, professor at University of Ottawa, used a combination of the covarying coupling constant (CCC) and tired light (TL) theories to show that the universe has no room for dark matter. This model helped reach this conclusion as it combines two ideas about how the forces of nature decrease over cosmic time and how light loses energy as it travels a long distance.
The current study pairs well with previous work from Gupta and his team that found the universe was 26.7 billion years old. Together, these studies suggest that the accelerated expansion of the universe was not caused by dark energy, but was in fact due to the weakening of forces of nature as it expanded.
“There are several papers that question the existence of dark matter,” said Gupta. “But mine is the first one, to my knowledge, that eliminates its cosmological existence while being consistent with key cosmological observations that we have had time to confirm.”
Challenging the existence of dark matter reveals new possibilities for exploring the fundamental properties of the universe.