Microscopic wormholes may be the answer to the most important mysteries of cosmology right now, and these tiny space-time structures may help explain why the expansion of the universe has begun to accelerate.
A group of Greek researchers recently developed a mathematical framework capable of reconciling observed data for cosmic expansion with existing theoretical models. Writes Popular Mechanics. According to their proposal, invisible wormholes hidden in space-time may cause measurable differences in the speed of expansion. In their study published in the journal Physical Review D, the researchers examined the “positive cosmological constant” – the latter attempts to determine the rate of expansion. The main problem is that the value calculated based on quantum field theory differs from the observed value by up to 120 orders of magnitude.
Therefore, the difference is not insignificant, which may indicate some fundamental problems with the current model.
According to the researchers, the likely reason for all this is, simply, that the structure of the universe is much more complex than current models seem. Researchers often rely on topology and mathematical manifold theory to describe the universe using as many known variables as possible. However, even with these advanced technologies, there is a big difference between how gravity works on a large scale and on a small scale. General relativity explains much of what we see in the universe, but quantum mechanics introduces complications that greatly distort this picture.
An example of this is a particularly mysterious phenomenon called quantum foam, where the laws of physics are upended on a small scale. The researchers hypothesize that wormholes may exist in this quantum foam, forming tiny bubbles or tunnels that connect higher dimensions. These wormholes could help reconcile quantum mechanics with large-scale cosmological observations. The study's authors also suggest that wormholes may interact with space-time in ways that affect the Gauss-Bonnet theorem, a fundamental mathematical principle. This interaction could actually create a “dynamic” cosmological constant (which is therefore not truly constant), meaning that the expansion rate of the universe could change over time due to the activity of wormholes.
As yet unknown dark energy is still part of the equation, but wormholes may explain part of the aforementioned discrepancy. According to the study, about 10 quadrillion microscopic wormholes per cubic meter per second may be causing the observed effects of cosmic expansion. Although this value seems amazing, it is still acceptable according to current scientific estimates.
(The image used for the article is an illustration, source: Pixabay/4D red)
