Australia: New model of the structure of the Universe explains cosmological paradoxes

Scientists at the University of Queensland have proposed a cosmological model that can shed light on a number of long-standing paradoxes of the theory of the evolution of the universe, without resorting to hypotheses about new physics. The development is based on taking into account the influence of large structures — expanding voids and collapsing regions — on the results of observations and measurements. Data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) project covering the distribution of matter over distances of up to 11 billion light-years were used for the analysis.

Traditional models of cosmology view matter as homogeneous and non-interacting, but the new concept relies on a real-world picture of stars, galaxies, black holes, and large regions of empty space interacting. These elements form a complex structure that affects gravitational processes and other forces, which is directly reflected in cosmological observations.

The key achievement of the researchers was to identify the minimum size of voids and clusters, at which their influence on measurements becomes noticeable. Comparison of independent data sets with the results of DESI showed a coincidence: it is large voids and their combinations with collapse regions that can explain anomalies associated with discrepancies in the estimate of the expansion rate of the Universe and the properties of the assumed dark energy.

The work of scientists directly affects two of the most discussed problems of modern cosmology. The first is the "Hubble strain", which is associated with differences in estimates of the expansion rate of the universe by different methods. The second is the dynamic dark energy hypothesis. According to the new model, taking into account the structure of the universe can by itself explain the decrease in the observed expansion rate without the need to introduce additional hypotheses.

According to the authors of the study, their approach opens the way for revising the interpretation of astronomical data, demonstrating that inconsistencies in measurement results can be a natural consequence of the complexity of the Universe. The new mathematical tool allows us to calculate the observed effects based on already known physical processes, simplifying the overall picture of cosmology and expanding the tools for analyzing real astrophysical data.