Published
24/01/2026 às 00:32
Updated
24/01/2026 às 00:37
Research published in preprint suggests that recent discrepancies in the expansion rate of the universe, observed by astronomical instruments, can be explained if space has volumetric viscosity, challenging the standard cosmological model based on constant dark energy.
The dominant cosmological model may be incomplete, according to a study that proposes treating space as a viscous fluid, capable of altering the rate of expansion of the universe and reconciling recent discrepancies observed in large-scale astronomical data.
New research suggests that our current understanding of the universe has fundamental flaws in describing cosmic expansion.
The study proposes that space possesses volumetric viscosity, affecting the dynamics of the cosmos and offering a possible explanation for recent observational discrepancies.
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Questions regarding the Lambda-CDM model
Traditionally, scientists describe the universe using the Lambda-CDM model, which considers dark energy as a fixed and unchanging cosmological constant responsible for the accelerated expansion of space over time.
This widely accepted model faces a persistent problem. Recent observations indicate that the actual rate at which galaxies are moving away does not exactly match theoretical predictions, suggesting limitations in the current formulation of dark energy.
The data that intensified this debate were obtained by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, known as DESI, installed on the Mayall Telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory.
The proposal of vacuum viscosity
The study was published on the arXiv preprint server and has not yet undergone peer review. The author is Muhammad Ghulam Khuwajah Khan, a researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology.
Khan proposes that space possesses volumetric viscosity, a property that measures a fluid’s resistance to expansion or compression. In this case, it refers to the resistance of the vacuum itself to the expansion of the universe.
The central idea is that, as space expands, an almost imperceptible drag effect arises, comparable to the difference between the flow of water and honey, but applied to the structure of the cosmos.
Space phonons and cosmological drag
To explain this behavior, the researcher introduces the concept of spatial phonons. In solid-state physics, phonons represent collective vibrations in crystals, associated with the coordinated movement of atoms.
In the new model, these vibrations are applied to the very structure of space. The longitudinal oscillations would function like sound waves in a vacuum, creating a viscous effect that slightly slows cosmic expansion.
This drag arises when space phonons move during expansion, generating a pressure that opposes the recessional impulse of galaxies, fitting the model to the DESI observations.
Adjusting the data and limits of the hypothesis
According to the study, this simple model, based on observational data, shows high accuracy when fitting DESI measurements, and may resolve some of the discrepancies associated with the traditional cosmological constant.
Despite this, the authors themselves emphasize caution. Viscous dark energy would represent a fundamental shift in our understanding of the vacuum of space, and there is still no confirmation that this viscosity is a real property of nature.
There is also the possibility that the observed effect is merely an artifact resulting from the limitations of current measurements, which makes it necessary to further analyze the available data.
Next observational tests
Validating this hypothesis will depend on future observations. The next decade of data from missions like the Euclid space telescope and continuous monitoring by DESI will be crucial for testing the model.
Only with new datasets will it be possible to determine whether these vibrations of space truly govern the expansion of the universe or whether the vacuum remains homogeneous, as was believed until now.