Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Long thought to drive the universe's accelerated expansion, dark energy is now questioned, with groundbreaking research suggesting it may not exist.
Scientists from the University of Canterbury propose the "timescape model," explaining expansion without invoking dark energy, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters.
Time moves slower in stronger gravitational fields, like Earth’s, creating the illusion of faster cosmic expansion in voids between galaxies.
Researchers analyzed light from Type Ia supernovae to compare cosmic expansion models, finding timescape theory provides better predictions than dark energy.
Hubble and James Webb telescopes confirmed galaxies’ rapid movement, contradicting dark energy's constant force, leading to new investigations.
The timescape model suggests voids between galaxies expand faster than denser areas, creating the perception of accelerated cosmic growth.
Lead researcher Professor David Wiltshire claims these findings resolve decades of mystery around the universe's accelerating expansion.
The European Space Agency’s Euclid satellite will gather high-quality data to confirm or refute the timescape model within a decade.
If proven, the timescape model would replace dark energy in explaining universal expansion, fundamentally altering our understanding of the cosmos.