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

Be the first to react!

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.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

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.

Watch the video

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

After the images from the Artemis II mission, why does Earth appear more opaque than in the iconic Apollo photos from the 1960s and 70s? The surprising explanation involves technology, light, and decisions that changed everything.

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

A robot named Walter does the work of five bricklayers per hour and can save the construction industry, where the average age of professionals is 46 years and almost no one wants to learn the trade anymore, in the United Kingdom.

Cristiano Ronaldo builds a billion-dollar mansion in Portugal with 54,000 square feet, a 3-acre plot facing the Atlantic, private spa, indoor and outdoor pools, and an estimated value of an impressive R$ 385 million.

Country ‘tears’ the sea with 340-meter underwater tunnels beneath the Atlantic to capture saltwater and erect a megaproject capable of producing up to 100 million liters of potable water per day in West Africa

Country ‘tears’ the sea with 340-meter underwater tunnels under the Atlantic to capture saltwater and build a megaproject capable of producing up to 100 million liters of drinking water per day in West Africa.

Country ‘tears’ the sea with 340-meter underwater tunnels under the Atlantic to capture saltwater and build a megaproject capable of producing up to 100 million liters of drinking water per day in West Africa.

Country ‘tears’ the sea with 340-meter underwater tunnels under the Atlantic to capture saltwater and build a megaproject capable of producing up to 100 million liters of drinking water per day in West Africa.

USA enters the era of new asphalt: the country is testing streets with reflective coating that reduces pavement heat, accumulates less temperature than traditional asphalt, and has already been applied to over 140 miles to combat urban heat islands.

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

After the images from the Artemis II mission, why does Earth appear more opaque than in the iconic Apollo photos from the 1960s and 70s? The surprising explanation involves technology, light, and decisions that changed everything.

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

A robot named Walter does the work of five bricklayers per hour and can save the construction industry, where the average age of professionals is 46 years and almost no one wants to learn the trade anymore, in the United Kingdom.

Cristiano Ronaldo builds a billion-dollar mansion in Portugal with 54,000 square feet, a 3-acre plot facing the Atlantic, private spa, indoor and outdoor pools, and an estimated value of an impressive R$ 385 million.

Scientists discover that tires are releasing invisible microplastics into city air, raising concerns about what we breathe every day.

Scientists have discovered a hidden underwater “portal” beneath the largest glacier in East Antarctica, capable of carrying warm water to the ice base; Totten drains a colossal basin with the potential to raise sea levels by more than 3.5 meters.

For the first time in history, scientists are observing the Pacific crust tearing on the ocean floor and revealing the birth of an underwater tectonic division.

The largest telescope in Hawaii targets the Crystal Ball Nebula 1,500 light-years from Earth and captures the light that left a dying star at the same time Charlemagne was founding the Holy Roman Empire: the cosmic sculpture was shaped by a pair of stars that dance every 9 years.

Chinese ship nicknamed Bohai Sea Monster appears with four supports under the wings and draws the attention of military analysts in the Bohai Sea.

Country ‘tears’ the sea with 340-meter underwater tunnels beneath the Atlantic to capture saltwater and erect a megaproject capable of producing up to 100 million liters of potable water per day in West Africa

Country ‘tears’ the sea with 340-meter underwater tunnels under the Atlantic to capture saltwater and build a megaproject capable of producing up to 100 million liters of drinking water per day in West Africa.

Country ‘tears’ the sea with 340-meter underwater tunnels under the Atlantic to capture saltwater and build a megaproject capable of producing up to 100 million liters of drinking water per day in West Africa.

Country ‘tears’ the sea with 340-meter underwater tunnels under the Atlantic to capture saltwater and build a megaproject capable of producing up to 100 million liters of drinking water per day in West Africa.

USA enters the era of new asphalt: the country is testing streets with reflective coating that reduces pavement heat, accumulates less temperature than traditional asphalt, and has already been applied to over 140 miles to combat urban heat islands.