Why is universe expanding faster than expected? Scientists investigate cosmic puzzle

Scientists have been left baffled by a new study claiming that the universe is expanding “too fast” and experts have been unable to find the cause behind this phenomenon.

A study published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics by an international team of astronomers has raised concerns that the current understanding of humans about the cosmos might be wrong.

Astronomers ran calculations to determine the most precise pace at which our universe is growing and found that it is growing at about 73.5 kilometres per second per megaparsec (a unit of distance equal to 3.26 million light years).

The study called for a deeper reassessment of the early universe, adding that the new results of measurements mark a significant shift in perspective.

Traditionally, there have been two ways to determine the speed of universe’s expansion which includes:

• Observing how fast nearby galaxies move away from Earth
• Studying the early universe to estimate expansion

Experts believe that the results from both methods should be the same; however, they are not.

According to early universe predictions, the expansion should be 67 or 68 kilometres per second per megaparsec; however, the observations suggest that the universe is expanding at 73 kilometres per second per megaparsec.

The authors wrote that the result of their calculations “point to new physics beyond the standard cosmological model.”

It also points to a chilling theory which suggests that cosmos might collapse in on itself as stars and galaxies would collide and merge into a burning core.

The phenomenon would eventually turn the universe into a single, giant fireball, ending all forms of life.