New Findings: Quasar ‘Clocks’ Indicate Universe Was Five Times Slower Following the Big Bang

Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery by observing the early universe running in extreme slow motion, providing insight into Einstein’s theory of an expanding universe. The general theory of relativity suggests that the distant universe should appear to run slower than the present day, but observing this phenomenon has been challenging. However, researchers have now used quasars as “clocks” to unlock this mystery.

Lead author of the study, Professor Geraint Lewis from the University of Sydney, explains that when looking back to a time when the universe was just over a billion years old, time appears to flow five times slower. From our current position, more than 12 billion years into the future, this early time seems to drag. The researchers used observed data from nearly 200 quasars, which are hyperactive supermassive black holes at the centers of early galaxies, to analyze this time dilation.

The expansion of space, as predicted by Einstein’s theory, means that our observations of the early universe should appear much slower than time flows today. The researchers were able to establish this time dilation back to about a billion years after the Big Bang. Previously, astronomers had confirmed this slow-motion universe back to about half the age of the universe using supernovae as “standard clocks.” However, observing supernovae at the immense distances needed to peer into the early universe is challenging.

By observing quasars, the researchers were able to roll back the time horizon to just a tenth of the age of the universe, confirming that the universe appears to speed up as it ages. Quasars are more complex than supernovae, acting like an ongoing firework display. The researchers unraveled this display and showed that quasars can also be used as standard markers of time for the early universe.

The researchers examined details of 190 quasars observed over two decades and combined observations taken at different wavelengths. Through Bayesian analysis, they found that the expansion of the universe is imprinted on each quasar’s ticking. These results further confirm Einstein’s picture of an expanding universe and contradict earlier studies that failed to identify the time dilation of distant quasars.

The research, published in Nature Astronomy, provides a deeper understanding of time and space and supports Einstein’s theory of an expanding universe.