“The universe is a simpler place than we think,” says Professor Rajendra Gupta. And he doesn't hide the smile of someone who feels strong after years of intensive research. Sitting in his office at the University of Ottawa, surrounded by blackboards full of equations, Gupta has just dropped a bombshell on the world of theoretical physics. His latest publication not only challenges the existence of dark matter, but also proposes a universe nearly twice as old as currently accepted. It is the latest chapter in a long history of alternative theories, but the “attacks” on traditional models are multiplying, and there must be a reason.
Rajendra Gupta and the latest challenge to the standard model
Professor Rajendra Gupta He is certainly not one to shy away from challenges. His research, published in The Astrophysical Journal (I link it to you here), is shaking the foundations of modern cosmology. What makes his ideas so destabilizing? To understand, we need to take a step back.
Il standard cosmological model, what most of us studied in school (maybe), is based on three pillars: ordinary matter (the one we can see and touch), the dark matter (the one we cannot see but whose gravitational effects we observe) and dark energy (the mysterious force that would cause the accelerated expansion of the universe). According to this "traditional" view, the universe It is approximately 13,8 billion years old.
Rajendra Gupta proposes something radically different. His model, which combines the theories of “covariant coupling constants1” (CCC) and of the “tired light2” (TL), suggests that the universe It could be 27 billion years old. And the most surprising part? There is no need for dark matter or dark energy to explain what we observe.
Rethinking the constants of the universe
One of Gupta’s most intriguing ideas is that the fundamental constants of nature might not be so… constant.
“Contrary to standard cosmological theories, where the accelerating expansion of the universe is attributed to dark energy, our results indicate that this expansion is due to the weakening of the forces of nature, not to dark energy,” explains the professor.
This approach could explain phenomena that have puzzled scientists for decades, such as how galaxies rotate or how light behaves over cosmic distances.
A Universe Without Darkness
The bomb, so to speak, is the elimination of the need for dark matter. Since when Fritz Zwicky3 noted in the 30s that galaxies in a cluster were moving in ways that did not correspond to visible mass, dark matter has been the preferred explanation for many cosmic phenomena. Rajendra Gupta, however, offers an alternative perspective. A significant portion of Gupta's research focuses on “redshifts”, the “shifts towards the red”, or on phenomena in which light stretches towards the
red end of the spectrum as it travels through space: By analyzing data on how galaxies are distributed at low redshifts and the patterns observed in the early universe at high redshifts, it builds a case against the existence of dark matter.
There are several papers that question the existence of dark matter, but his is the first, he claims, to eliminate its cosmological existence while still being consistent with the main cosmological observations that we have had time to confirm.
The Implications of an Older Universe
If Rajendra Gupta's model turns out to be correct, the implications would be enormous. Not only would it change our understanding of the age of the universe, but it could also offer new explanations for phenomena such as the cosmic microwave background radiation or the formation and evolution of galaxies. However, like any revolutionary theory, Gupta's work is not without its critics. The scientific community points out that there is a wealth of data to support current models. The CCC+TL model will have to provide testable predictions that can be confirmed or refuted through observations and experiments.
Rajendra Gupta and the Future of Cosmology
Come for other models, even testing the CCC+TL model is not easy at all. Technology, however, continues to advance: more powerful telescopes and more sensitive detectors may soon provide the evidence needed to confirm or challenge these new theories. Rajendra Gupta remains optimistic. “The quest to understand the universe is like putting together a giant puzzle without knowing the final picture,” he muses. “Each new piece or idea helps us see a little more, even if it means rethinking parts we thought we understood.”
Whether Rajendra Gupta’s model becomes a fundamental part of cosmology or leads to other discoveries, it’s all part of the exciting journey to understand the cosmos. And thanks to courageous scientists like Gupta, that journey continues to surprise and inspire us. Even the most established theories can, MUST, be challenged. And perhaps, in this ability to constantly challenge what we think we know, lies the true beauty of science.
- Coupling constants: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costanti_di_accoppiamento ↩︎
- Tired Light Theory: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luce_stanca ↩︎
- Fritz Zwicky: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Zwicky ↩︎