Science reveals that the error in the expansion of the cosmos is not a measurement flaw, but rather a sign that the universe may be hiding new physics capable of changing everything we know.

Written by Felipe Alves da Silva

Published on 16/04/2026 at 03:57

Updated on 02/05/2026 at 15:57

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New extremely precise measurement of the expansion of the universe reveals a discrepancy of up to 6 km/s per megaparsec and raises suspicions that something unknown may be altering the laws of the cosmos

Science has just revealed one of the greatest enigmas of modern cosmology — and, at the same time, one of the most unsettling. A new extremely precise measurement of the expansion of the universe confirmed that there is a real, profound, and still unresolved problem in understanding the cosmos.

The information was released by the website ScienceAlert, based on a study conducted by the international collaboration H0DN, which gathered highly advanced data and analyses to redefine one of the most important parameters in physics: the Hubble constant.

According to scientists, the local rate of expansion of the universe was measured at an impressive 73.5 kilometers per second per megaparsec, with an extremely high confidence level of 7 sigma, considered practically definitive in science. However, this value directly conflicts with measurements of the early universe, which indicate a significantly lower rate of 67.24 kilometers per second per megaparsec.

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Understand why the expansion of the universe has become one of science’s greatest mysteries

To understand the gravity of the situation, it is important to remember that the universe emerged about 13.8 billion years ago and has been expanding ever since. The speed of this expansion is determined by the so-called Hubble constant, one of the fundamental pillars of modern cosmology.

Moreover, this constant is essential for calculating the age, size of the universe, and even for understanding the influence of the mysterious dark energy, responsible for accelerating the expansion of the cosmos.

However, despite technological advances, scientists face a curious problem: different measurement methods are leading to incompatible results.

On one hand, measurements of the current universe indicate values between 72 and 74 km/s per megaparsec. On the other hand, analyses of the ancient universe suggest numbers close to 67 or 68 km/s per megaparsec.

In other words, even with highly precise methods, the results simply do not match — a phenomenon that has become known as the Hubble tension.

Measurement network replaces “cosmic ladder” and reinforces that the problem is real

Traditionally, scientists use the so-called “cosmic distance ladder” to measure the universe. This method includes steps such as:

Parallax (measurement of the position of stars)
Cepheid variable stars
Type Ia supernovae

However, to eliminate possible errors, the researchers decided to innovate. Instead of a ladder, they created a true network of distances, combining various techniques simultaneously.

Among them are:

Cepheid variables
Stars at the top of the red giant branch
Mira variables
Megamasers
Type Ia and II supernovae
Surface brightness fluctuations
Tully-Fisher relation
Fundamental plane

With this, it was possible to obtain even more robust and interconnected measurements, drastically reducing the margin of error.

Furthermore, the scientists conducted rigorous tests, removing methods individually, altering data, and adjusting assumptions. Still, the result hardly changed.

In other words, everything indicates that the discrepancy is not a calculation error.

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Scientists admit: new physics may be needed to explain the cosmos

In light of this scenario, the conclusion begins to gain strength: the problem may not lie in the measurements, but rather in our understanding of the universe itself.

For years, many researchers believed that the so-called Hubble tension could be the result of human errors or technical limitations. However, with this new extremely rigorous analysis, this hypothesis loses strength.

Now, the possibility grows that the universe is revealing something much deeper — perhaps even a new form of unknown physics.

According to the researchers, the current accuracy of the measurements not only reinforces the inconsistency but also exposes limitations in the standard cosmological model.

Moreover, the data suggest that it may be necessary to completely reevaluate what we know about the primitive universe.

The study was published in the scientific journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, and the complete data has been made publicly available for other scientists to test and reproduce the results.

Meanwhile, one thing is certain: cosmology has entered a new era of questioning — and the cosmos may be about to reveal even more surprising secrets.

Science reveals that the error in the expansion of the cosmos is not a measurement flaw, but rather a sign that the universe may be hiding new physics capable of changing everything we know.

New extremely precise measurement of the expansion of the universe reveals a discrepancy of up to 6 km/s per megaparsec and raises suspicions that something unknown may be altering the laws of the cosmos

Understand why the expansion of the universe has become one of science’s greatest mysteries

Measurement network replaces “cosmic ladder” and reinforces that the problem is real

Scientists admit: new physics may be needed to explain the cosmos

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Science reveals that the error in the expansion of the cosmos is not a measurement flaw, but rather a sign that the universe may be hiding new physics capable of changing everything we know.

New extremely precise measurement of the expansion of the universe reveals a discrepancy of up to 6 km/s per megaparsec and raises suspicions that something unknown may be altering the laws of the cosmos

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