Dark Matter and Dark Energy Might Not Exist After All, New Study Suggests

A controversial new study has a rival to this narrative of the origins of the universe — the echoing walls of a previous universe that seem to exist in ours, according to new research. Instead, they might arise naturally as the universe's basic forces slowly lose their punch over time. The groundbreaking concept, developed by the University of Ottawa physicist Rajendra Gupta, turns cosmic orthodoxy on its head—and has the potential to shake up astronomers' understanding of how the universe is made, including galactic motion and even basic time.

Evolving Cosmic Forces May Explain Universe's Mysteries Without Dark Matter or Dark Energy

According to a report published in the peer-reviewed journal Galaxies, Gupta's model showed that as the universe expands, its forces — such as gravity — weaken infinitesimally. This decay can act like the stuff scientists have long invoked to help explain dark energy, the mysterious force accelerating cosmic expansion, along with dark matter, which is supposed to explain why galaxies rotate faster than their heft suggests. Both of these phenomena could, according to Gupta, instead stem from the same time-evolving constants of nature, and there would be no necessity for a pair of cosmic components.

Gupta's model introduces a parameter called “α”, which changes depending on how ordinary matter is distributed. In galaxy cores, the effect is weaker but stronger in empty regions—explaining fast star motion and cosmic behaviour without dark matter.

The study suggests the universe may be nearly twice as old, explaining the rapid early formation of galaxies and black holes after the Big Bang. Gupta notes that this approach removes the need for hypothetical particles, making the universe's evolution more consistent with observable physics.
The findings may reshape cosmology, challenging costly dark matter hunts, as Gupta suggests evolving natural forces—not hidden particles—explain cosmic behaviour.