Is the universe spinning? Strange galaxy motion suggests that it is

Nearly a century ago, some astronomers proposed that we might be seeing only half the story of the universe’s expansion. A lesser-known concept, called the “tired light” theory, proposed that photons could lose energy as they travel through space, causing what looks like expanding motion.

Some experts have speculated that a possible spin of the universe could influence our perception of cosmic movement. However, the majority of experts support the Big Bang model, citing observations of galaxies moving away from us at rapid speeds.

Our perception of universe expansion

Lior Shamir, an associate professor at Kansas State University, has brought this old theory back into focus. His recent work suggests that a fresh look at JWST images might offer a different perspective on what we perceive as the expansion of the universe.

Scientists have noted that JWST observations reveal galaxies that seem older than the universe itself, if based on traditional timelines. This contradicts the idea that everything condensed from a single point 13.8 billion years ago.

“The JWST provided deep images of the very early universe, but instead of showing an infant early universe…it showed large and mature galaxies,” said Professor Shamir.

Big Bang supporters are not all convinced to abandon their view. However, a portion of the astronomy community feels that such data call for a second glance at less conventional models. A few wonder whether our accepted view of cosmic expansion oversimplifies the story.

Could light be tricking us?

“The tired light theory was largely neglected, as astronomers adopted the Big Bang theory as the consensus model,” explained Professor Shamir. He has offered fresh evidence supporting the long-dismissed concept. 

If photons gradually lose energy, the universal timeline we use might be off. That helps explain why galaxies appear so developed at early stages. Light might not always be a perfect gauge of distance if it changes subtly on the way.

Recent data shows that almost all galaxies in the early universe displayed by JWST appear to rotate in the same direction. Shamir’s analysis found up to 50% more galaxies swirling one way, a difference that can even be seen by a non-expert scanning the images.

He suggests this anomaly could mean the universe was “born” spinning or that we might live inside a colossal black hole.

Professor Shamir also noted that this rotational imbalance might be due to the Earth’s own motion. Because of rotational velocity, galaxies moving the opposite way relative to the Milky Way may appear brighter, so we see more of them.

Shamir’s team measured redshift in over 30,000 galaxies and found that the gap becomes larger at greater distances.

Does the universe spin?

The “axis of evil” in cosmology refers to unexpected alignments in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, suggesting a preferred direction in the universe.

This is at odds with the widely accepted cosmological principle, which states that the universe should appear isotropic (the same in all directions) on large scales.

Some researchers speculate that this alignment could be a statistical fluke, an artifact of our observational methods, or even an indication of new physics beyond the standard model of cosmology. Others propose that it might hint at a deeper structure in the universe, challenging the assumption of uniformity.

Another theory entertains the possibility of a holographic universe, pointing out that if the universe does have a giant spin, it is not unlike a black hole’s interior.

This concept, commonly referred to as black hole cosmology, has circulated in physics circles for years, and Professor Shamir’s research brings it back into focus.

Distance measurements may shift

Shamir’s work also suggests that measurements of galaxies have overlooked the Milky Way’s rotational speed. If galaxies rotating opposite to the Milky Way show stronger brightness due to Doppler effects, the difference could alter assumptions about how far away they are.

“Because the rotational velocity of the Earth relative to the galaxies is constant, the reason for the difference can be the distance of the galaxies from Earth,” noted Professor Shamir.

If that holds up, we may have to recalibrate large portions of existing data, which could reconcile other mysteries such as the mismatch in expansion rates and sightings of hefty galaxies in early epochs.

Gaps in the Big Bang theory

Not everyone is ready to rewrite the textbooks, but some scientists see these observations as a nudge to keep an open mind.

A few have always contended that the Big Bang theory left unexplained gaps, suggesting that light from distant galaxies may have simply lost energy over time. Shamir’s study echoes that question. 

“If the Big Bang happened as scientists initially believed, these galaxies are older than the universe itself,” said Shamir.

To him, that’s one more signal that alternative routes in cosmology deserve attention. An increasing number of researchers are questioning whether we made a basic error about universal expansion.

Whether or not the Big Bang needs a full overhaul is up for debate. But the evidence keeps stacking up that current distance yardsticks might be incomplete.

Ultimately, the research indicates that we may yet discover hidden nuances in redshift data or find that the cosmos has had a built-in spin from the start.

The study is published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

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