Reinventing cosmology: uOttawa research puts the age of the universe at 26.7 not 13.7 billion years

Our universe could be twice as large as current estimates, according to a new study that challenges the dominant cosmological model and sheds new light on the so-called ‘impossible problem of the first galaxies’.

“Our newly developed model lengthens the galaxy formation time by several billion years, making the universe 26.7 billion years old and not 13.7 as previously estimated,” says lead author Rajendra Gupta , adjunct professor of physics at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Science.

For years, astronomers and physicists have calculated the age of our universe by measuring the time since the Big Bang and studying the oldest stars based on the redshift of light from distant galaxies. In 2021, thanks to new techniques and technological advances, the age of our universe was thus estimated at 13.797 billion years using the Lambda-CDM concordance model.

However, many scientists have been puzzled by the existence of stars like Methuselah that appear to be older than the estimated age of our universe and by the discovery of early galaxies in an advanced state of evolution made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope. These galaxies, existing just about 300 million years after the Big Bang, appear to have a level of maturity and mass typically associated with billions of years of cosmic evolution. Plus, they’re surprisingly small in size, adding another layer of mystery to the equation.

Zwicky’s tired light theory proposes that the redshift of light from distant galaxies is due to the gradual loss of energy by photons over vast cosmic distances. However, he was seen conflicted with the remarks. Yet Gupta found that “by allowing this theory to coexist with the expanding universe, it becomes possible to reinterpret the redshift as a hybrid phenomenon, rather than purely due to expansion.”

In addition to Zwicky’s tired light theory, Gupta introduces the idea of ​​the evolution of “coupling constants”, as hypothesized by Paul Dirac. Coupling constants are fundamental physical constants that govern the interactions between particles. According to Dirac, these constants may have varied over time. By allowing them to evolve, the time period for the formation of the first galaxies observed by the Webb Telescope at high redshifts can be extended from a few hundred million years to several billion years. This provides a more feasible explanation for the advanced level of growth and mass observed in these ancient galaxies.

Furthermore, Gupta suggests that the traditional interpretation of the “cosmological constant,” which represents the dark energy responsible for accelerating the expansion of the universe, needs revision. Instead, he proposes a constant that explains the evolution of coupling constants. This change in the cosmological model helps address the puzzle of the small size of galaxies observed in the early universe, allowing for more accurate observations.

I study, “Observations of the Early Universe JWST e CDM Cosmology”, was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS) (Oxford University Press) on July 7, 2023.