We blogged about how new evidence is casting doubt on the existence of the universe. Scientists have also discovered a massive discrepancy between the amount of light that we can detect and the amount of light produced by galaxies and quasars. The two are off by a factor of some 400%. Put another way, 80% of the light in the universe is missing. This is being called the “missing light crisis.”
From Missing Light Crisis: ‘Something is Amiss in the Universe’:
There is a “missing light crisis” taking place in the universe with a huge deficit on what there should be and what there actually is, astronomers have said.
In a statement, experts from the Carnegie Institution for Science said “something is amiss in the universe” with 80% of the light missing.
Lead author of the study Juna Kollmeier said: “It’s as if you’re in a big, brightly-lit room, but you look around and see only a few 40-watt lightbulbs. Where is all that light coming from? It’s missing from our census.”
Published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, scientists found that the light from galaxies and quasars is not enough to explain observations of intergalactic hydrogen, with a difference of 400%.
Empty space between galaxies are bridged by tendrils of hydrogen and helium that act as a “light metre”.
The scientists discovered that when looking at galaxies billions of light years away in the early universe, the amount of light present appears to add up. However, in more localised parts of the universe, the calculations fail massively.
For a more technical account, go here.
For the published study, go here.
HT: Paul McCain
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