Al Arabiya website reported that scientists specializing in space and astronomy have made a new discovery that reveals that the universe is expanding much faster than previously thought. This discovery raises many questions, including those regarding the end of the universe and life. Scientists are still confused and have not found an explanation for the reason for this great and continuous expansion of the universe.
A recent astronomical study has found that the universe is expanding at a “blazing speed,” which could eventually lead to the demise of the entire universe at some point.
According to a report published by the British newspaper “Daily Mail” and viewed by “Al Arabiya.net”, an international team of scientists made the most accurate measurements to date of the speed of the growth of the universe. But instead of providing a clear answer, this only added to their confusion, as they found that the universe was expanding “very rapidly,” much faster than previously thought.
In their study, the team combined different methods for measuring the expansion of the universe in an attempt to arrive at an accurate measurement, and discovered that it is expanding at a rate of 73.5 kilometers per second per megaparsec (a unit of distance measuring 3.26 million light-years).
Scientists recently combined multiple measurement techniques into a model called the Local Distance Grid, including observing red giant stars that shine with known brightness, supernovas, and various types of galaxies.
In the very high-resolution study, researchers found that the expansion rate is about 73.5 kilometers per second per megaparsec. This number remained constant even after individual techniques were excluded from the analysis, which negates the presence of clear errors in any of the measurement methods.
“This work virtually rules out explanations for the Hubble Paradox that rely on a single overlooked error in local distance measurements,” the researchers wrote. They added: “If this paradox is real, as mounting evidence suggests, it may indicate new physics beyond the standard cosmological model.”
Scientists emphasized the importance of this discovery, explaining that it indicates that standard models of cosmology, which rely on measurements of the early universe, ignore an important aspect. The reason may be that it cannot fully explain the influence of so-called “dark energy”, new particles, or gravitational changes.
“The discrepancy in Hubble measurements may not be the result of a measurement error, but rather evidence that the current model of the universe is missing a fundamental component,” the researchers said. They added: “With next-generation observatories expected to provide more accurate measurements, astronomers are seeking to determine whether this discrepancy will eventually resolve or whether it will continue to indicate new physics.”
Scientists say it is known that the universe began with an explosion known as the Big Bang, but they are now warning that it may end in a “Big Contraction”. According to this alarming theory, the universe will begin to gradually collapse in on itself until every atom of matter is compressed into a dense, superheated inferno.
