Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 05:57 pm
The recent New York Times article titled “The story of our Universe may be starting to unravel” shed light on the potentially groundbreaking discoveries made by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the crisis it has exposed in the fields of physics and cosmology. While the article discussed the startling revelation of fully formed galaxies that challenge the current standard model of cosmology, scientist Subhajit Waugh suggests that the implications run deeper than the article conveyed.
Mr. Waugh, a physicist at RRCAT (Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology), believes that the article merely scratches the surface of a more profound scientific revolution. He asserts that not only is cosmology in crisis, but physics itself faces a severe crisis, with the two fundamental pillars of physics conflicting. He argues that the authors of the NYT article failed to recognize the link between these crises. According to Mr. Waugh, the James Webb telescope has the potential to revolutionize science, especially in the realms of physics and cosmology, and could bring about the most significant paradigm shift in the history of science.
Mr. Waugh points out that two next-generation telescopes, the European Euclid and Japanese XRISM X-Ray telescopes, are also poised to contribute to this scientific revolution. While James Webb may still play a pivotal role, time is of the essence.
He warns that if the American scientific community does not capitalize on JWST’s revelations to reshape the foundations of science, Europe or Japan may lead the way in another scientific revolution. The NYT article mentioned that physicists and astronomers are sensing something profoundly amiss and may need to reconsider the standard model of cosmology, potentially changing fundamental aspects of our understanding of the universe. Mr. Waugh concurs with this assessment, emphasizing the need for a radical departure from the standard model, including rethinking elemental components of the universe and possibly even the nature of space and time.
He draws parallels with historical scientific revolutions, such as Copernicus’s heliocentrism, Darwin’s theory of evolution, and Einstein’s relativity, all of which had far-reaching cultural implications. Mr. Waugh believes that a scientific revolution is on the horizon and likens it to replacing steam locomotive tracks with modern high-speed train rails.
Mr. Waugh summarized: Physics is derailed (Ref. 1) and cosmology is in crisis (Ref. 2). Our concept of SpaceTime is faulty (Ref. 3, 4) and our mathematics is shaky (Ref. 5, 6). We are wrong about shape and size of the universe (Ref. 7). A tsunami sized ‘scientific revolution’ is coming (Ref. 8, 9, 10).
REFERENCE
Ref. 1 (A): Physicist congratulates ‘International Physics Olympiad’ awardees, and urges them to rescue Physics from present crisis
Ref. 1 (B): World’s largest physics conference in Las Vegas will be grand; but will it be worthwhile?
Ref. 2 (A): Six major cracks have appeared in the standard model of cosmology. Is it wrong?
Ref. 2 (B): Shape and size of our universe: challenging the Standard Model of Cosmology
Ref. 3: The biggest mistake in Science: Space and Time do not fuse into SpaceTime continuum.
Ref. 4: Time itself is not the fourth dimension, but emerges due to motion along fourth space dimension
Ref. 5: Science is standing on shaky mathematical pillars, which guarantees a scientific revolution
Ref. 6: RRCAT Physicist Claims Correct Representation of Imaginary Numbers May Unify General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics
Ref. 7: We are wrong about the shape and size of our universe: RRCAT Physicist provides a new model of universe.
Ref. 8: Euclid telescope will revolutionize science, overthrow ruling scientific theories, and usher paradigm shift in science.
Ref. 9: Europe’s Euclid telescope can beat NASA’s James Webb telescope, making Europe the leader of another scientific revolution.
Ref. 10: Scientist predicts Japan, the ‘land of the rising sun’, will soon become the ‘rising sun’ in X-ray astronomy
