Canadian researchers suggest the universe could be approximately 26.7 billion years old, nearly twice the currently accepted estimate of 13.8 billion years.
How old is the universe, and when did it all begin? Scientists have been searching for answers to these questions for decades. Now, a new theory proposed by researchers at the University of Ottawa in Canada is challenging the widely accepted understanding of the universe’s age.
According to the standard cosmological model, the universe is approximately 13.8 billion years old. However, Canadian physicists have proposed an alternative model suggesting that its actual age could be around 26.7 billion years.
If confirmed, this would mean the universe is almost twice as old as scientists currently estimate.
The proposed theory, known as CCC+TL, combines the idea of changing fundamental physical constants with a concept called tired light, which suggests that light may lose energy as it travels across enormous cosmic distances.
Researchers believe this alternative approach could help explain certain astronomical observations without relying on dark matter and dark energy in the same way as the standard cosmological model.
University of Ottawa researcher Rajendra Gupta and postdoctoral researcher Nicolas Samaras examined astronomical data during 2025 and 2026 to evaluate the proposed model.
The researchers modified equations associated with Albert Einstein and Alexander Friedmann and developed mathematical calculations and computer programs to test their ideas.
According to their findings, the model produced results consistent with certain observations involving light elements such as hydrogen and helium, as well as aspects of the universe’s expansion history.
In a separate study, the researchers also examined the rotational speeds of 175 galaxies included in the SPARC database.
They reported that their model could explain the observed rotation patterns without requiring dark matter.
The researchers have also conducted preliminary tests involving the Bullet Cluster, an important astronomical system frequently studied in connection with dark matter.
Another major reason for interest in the theory comes from observations made by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
The powerful telescope has detected galaxies from the early universe that appear surprisingly large and developed for their estimated age.
These discoveries have raised questions about how massive galaxies could have formed so quickly after the Big Bang.
Supporters of the new model suggest that an older universe could provide additional time for such galaxies to develop, potentially helping explain some of these observations.
The researchers have also suggested that galaxies may exist beyond the current observational limits of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Future observations, including projects searching for galaxies at extremely high redshifts, could provide valuable evidence for testing different explanations of the early universe.
However, scientists emphasize that the proposed age of 26.7 billion years has not been established as a scientific fact.
Important aspects of the model still require further investigation, including tests involving the cosmic microwave background, the ancient radiation left over from the early universe.
The researchers have also acknowledged that their findings do not conclusively eliminate the need for dark matter or dark energy.
For now, the widely accepted estimate of 13.8 billion years remains the standard scientific understanding.
Nevertheless, the alternative theory raises an intriguing possibility: Could the universe be far older than humanity has believed?
Further observations and independent scientific testing will be needed before researchers can determine whether this new explanation offers a more accurate picture of cosmic history.