Dark Matter May Be Nothing More Than a Cosmic Illusion

Dark substance could beryllium a cosmic illusion, says caller research. Credit: ESA/Hubble / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

A caller survey is challenging long-standing beliefs successful astrophysics by suggesting that what scientists person labeled arsenic dark matter and acheronian vigor could simply beryllium a cosmic illusion caused by changing earthy forces successful the universe.

For decades, astronomers person believed that unseen forces—dark substance and acheronian energy—account for astir of the universe’s wide and energy.

However, a survey led by Rajendra Gupta, an adjunct prof of physics astatine the University of Ottawa, proposes that these phenomena whitethorn not beryllium abstracted forces astatine all. Instead, Gupta argues, they whitethorn beryllium the effect of cardinal constants of quality dilatory evolving arsenic the beingness expands and grows much uneven.

Published successful the journal Galaxies, the survey introduces a exemplary that eliminates the request for exotic particles oregon unexplained energy. Gupta suggests that arsenic the beingness expands, the spot of earthy forces similar gravity gradually weakens.

This displacement creates the quality of an accelerating universe—commonly attributed to acheronian energy—and adds a gravitational effect wrong galaxies, antecedently linked to acheronian matter.

A caller exemplary challenges accepted physics

The exemplary centers astir a parameter called α, which emerges from allowing definite carnal constants to alteration implicit clip and space. At cosmic scales, α remains dependable and tin beryllium fitted to information from supernovae.

But wrong galaxies, wherever substance similar stars and state is unevenly distributed, α varies. This saltation produces the other gravitational propulsion that astronomers person agelong associated with acheronian substance halos. According to Gupta, regions with dense substance amusement a weaker added gravitational effect, portion low-density areas amusement a stronger one.

Dark substance and acheronian vigor mightiness not beryllium real! New probe by @uOttawa suggests they could beryllium an illusion caused by the universe's uneven expansion. 🤯 A cosmic mirage? 🌌@uOttawaScience
👉https://t.co/7QUMUzk5j5 pic.twitter.com/seuSnC2ene

— uOttawa Salle de presse l Newsroom (@uOttawaMedia) October 1, 2025

Gupta’s attack offers a unified mentation for some cosmic expansion and postulation rotation curves utilizing a azygous equation—something accepted models dainty separately.

Last year, helium challenged the beingness of acheronian substance astatine ample scales. His existent enactment expands that statement to smaller, astrophysical scales.

Rethinking the aboriginal beingness and acheronian substance searches

The mentation besides helps explicate however monolithic galaxies and achromatic holes formed truthful aboriginal successful the universe’s history. Gupta says this is imaginable due to the fact that his exemplary stretches the cosmic timeline, astir doubling the estimated age of the universe and allowing much clip for analyzable structures to develop.

The implications could beryllium profound. If correct, the exemplary suggests that decades of acheronian substance research—spanning billions of dollars successful particle detection efforts—may not beryllium necessary.

Even if specified particles are yet found, Gupta notes, they would inactive request to explicate wide levels acold beyond what modular substance accounts for.

In his view, the astir puzzling aspects of the cosmos mightiness not necessitate caller particles, but a deeper knowing of however the universe’s cardinal rules displacement with time.