MSGID: 1:317/3 64ae2c7a   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Reinventing cosmology: New research puts age of universe at 26.7 -- not   
   13.7 -- billion years    
      
     Date:   
         July 11, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of Ottawa   
     Summary:   
         Our universe could be twice as old as current estimates, according   
         to a new study that challenges the dominant cosmological model and   
         sheds new light on the so-called 'impossible early galaxy problem.'   
      
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   Our universe could be twice as old as current estimates, according   
   to a new study that challenges the dominant cosmological model and   
   sheds new light on the so-called "impossible early galaxy problem."   
   "Our newly-devised model stretches the galaxy formation time by a several   
   billion years, making the universe 26.7 billion years old, and not 13.7   
   as previously estimated," says author Rajendra Gupta, adjunct professor   
   of physics in the Faculty of Science at the University of Ottawa.   
      
   For years, astronomers and physicists have calculated the age of our   
   universe by measuring the time elapsed since the Big Bang and by studying   
   the oldest stars based on the redshift of light coming from distant   
   galaxies. In 2021, thanks to new techniques and advances in technology,   
   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 the 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 a mere 300 million years or so after the Big Bang,   
   appear to have a level of maturity and mass typically associated with   
   billions of years of cosmic evolution.   
      
   Furthermore, 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, it was seen to conflict with observations. 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 evolving   
   "coupling constants," as hypothesized by Paul Dirac. Coupling constants   
   are fundamental physical constants that govern the interactions between   
   particles. According to Dirac, these constants might have varied over   
   time. By allowing them to evolve, the timeframe for the formation of   
   early 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 development   
   and mass observed in these ancient galaxies.   
      
   Moreover, Gupta suggests that the traditional interpretation of the   
   "cosmological constant," which represents dark energy responsible for   
   the accelerating expansion of the universe, needs revision. Instead,   
   he proposes a constant that accounts for the evolution of the coupling   
   constants. This modification in the cosmological model helps address the   
   puzzle of small galaxy sizes observed in the early universe, allowing   
   for more accurate observations.   
      
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   Source: Materials provided by University_of_Ottawa. Original written by   
   Bernard Rizk.   
      
   Note: Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. R Gupta. JWST early Universe observations and LCDM   
      cosmology. Monthly   
         Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2023; DOI: 10.1093/mnras/   
         stad2032   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230711133118.htm   
      
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