An Indian physicist proposed a new theory explaining the intriguing phenomenon of dark matter with the possible existence of an “anti-universe” intertwined with ours, where time passes in reverse.
In the relentless search for answers to the intriguing phenomenon of the accelerated expansion of the universe, the standard model of cosmology, known as Lambda-Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) or Lambda-CDM, has been the mainstay of science for decades. This model explains how dark matter and dark energy drive the expansion of the cosmos. However, although these components are crucial to the model, Its elusive nature has kept scientists baffled, motivating many researchers to explore new theories..
Among the most innovative ideas that have been proposed is the possibility that dark energy, estimated to make up 68% of the universe’s total, might not exist.
Other proposals include the interaction of our universe with “baby universes”, or that the observed expansion is simply an optical effect caused by aging light. Alternatives such as quintessence and various theories of modified gravity, including scalar-tensor-vector theory, have also been considered.
Our universe would be intertwined with an “anti-universe”
In the midst of this panorama of uncertainty and change, Naman Kumar, researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, has proposed a revolutionary theory published in the journal Gravitation and Cosmology. According to Kumar, Our universe could be intertwined with an anti-universe, where time passes in reverse. This idea eliminates the need to invoke dark energy or adjustments in gravity to explain accelerated expansion.
“In my work I propose another model to explain the current accelerated expansion of the universe (…) However, there is a price to pay,” Kumar writes. “We need an associated anti-universe whose time flow is oppositely related to our universe“.
Kumar bases his theory on advanced concepts of quantum theory and general relativity, such as relative entropy and the zero energy condition. According to his proposal, the universe and its antiuniverse were created in pairsleading to natural accelerated expansion.
“The relative entropy, which requires two states, corresponds in this case to the universe and its associated anti-universe. Accelerated expansion seems inevitable in a universe created in pairs that respect the zero energy condition. This result is quite surprising and readers familiar with Hawking’s area theorem may notice some similarities. The area theorem also deals with causal horizons and requires that the zero energy condition be satisfied. In our model, the causal horizon corresponds to the Big Bang. The results apply equally to the associated anti-universe,” Kumar explained.
The idea of a mirrored universe is not entirely new. As DW reported, in 2018, scientists at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Ontario suggested that our universe could be the mirror of one that flows backwards in time, thus providing a natural candidate for dark matter: “right-handed” neutrinos.
As observation technology continues to advance, The scientific community awaits more evidence that can validate or discard Kumar’s intriguing hypothesis.. For now, the discussion about the expansion of the universe remains as expansive and vibrant as the cosmos itself.
“The beauty of this idea lies in its simplicity and naturalness, which differentiates it from existing explanations,” Kumar concluded.
