Is space expanding or is light interacting with matter?
The spectrum of the light coming from far away galaxies is redshifted. It means that the light wavelength of a chemical element is longer in this spectrum that it is in the light spectrum of the same element on Earth. And this redshifting increases with the distance between the concerned galaxy and Earth.
The explanation of this given by cosmologists is that empty space itself expands continuously and stretches the light waves that it contains. Hence, the wavelength of the light increases with the distance and the time it has travelled before being detected. It is basically what says the famous Big Bang theory on the expansion of the universe.
Moreover, astrophysicists discovered a few years ago that the redshifting is not directly proportional to the distance travelled. They think that the speed at witch the space spreads is increasing with time. The farther it is in time from the primary Big Bang that occured 13,7 billion years ago, the more rapidly space is spreading...
However, another explanation is theoretically possible: light interacts with matter in his travel across space and, consequently, its wavelength is modified.
When mentionned, this hypothesis is rejected without much consideration by saying that the known universe doesn't have an appropriate amount and distribution of stellar dust to produce the observed shifting. And that the Big Bang theory made a prediction of an infrared radiation that has been actually detected.
In fact, it must be known that the estimation of the speed at witch the space is spreading has been varying widely since the inception of the Big Bang explanation and the detection of an infrared radiation coming from everywhere in space. The parameters of the theoretical Big Bang model had to be ajusted numerous times to get the experimentally measured infrared radiation. The theoretical model had to be patched up. The measured radiation is now used to adjust the model that was supposed to predict its measure.
An ad hoc and temporary inflation period had also to be added to the Big Bang theory to get an infrared radiation as uniform as what is experimentally observed.This arbitrary additionnal hypothesis was necessary to save the Big Bang. It cannot be said anymore that the original model predicted the observed uniform radiation.
Let's get back to the hypothesis of the interaction of light with matter in its travel across universe. Concerning the amount of dust necessary to get the observed redshifting of light, it must be said that cosmologists now estimate that 96% of the matter and energy of the universe exist in unknown forms, usually referred to as dark matter and dark energy. This takes away much credibility to the assertion that known matter cannot interact with light so as to produce the observed redshifting. In fact, cosmologists admit that they simply don't know what are the constituents of the universe!
Scientists sometimes say that «extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof» to reject twisted and crazy scientific pretensions. We could apply this to the question of the redshifting of light. What is extraordinary, what is twisted beyond known physics? the spreading of space itself or the modification of light in its interaction with matter?
The new metaphysics of empty space
How cannot it be seen that the expansion of space is the extraordinary claim that demands an extraordinary proof?! A peculiar way of conceiving space is behind that blindness: empty space is now viewed as a complex thing with numerous and incredible properties. Properties such as an accelerating expansion rate, a huge energy, the capacity to create virtual particles that continuously pop up and annihilate each other, etc. Empty space has become a jumble of abstract substitutes for the explanations not found yet and not searched anymore in terms of interactions of material objects and material phenomena.
Empty space with its numerous and complex properties has become the core of a new mathematical metaphysics. The empty space which is so full reminds me of the heaven of the Dark Ages with its God, angels and demons continuously interferring with our material world. Like it is the case with all metaphysics, the core explanations are transferred to an abstract immaterial level. To many people, it is a mysterious and fascinating method. It also has the concrete advantage to rapidly palliate explanations difficult to find.
Sure, there is a big difference between medieval skies and cosmological space: the abstract mathematical space of cosmologists is based upon strict and coherent rules, which is not the case with miracles. Another basic difference is that cosmologists refer to experiments with precise results that can be checked. But that doesn't change the fact that the explanations go beyond material objects to refer to a metaphysical world.
I have nothing against metaphysical explanations when they are viewed as they are: temporary pragmatic tools and palliative explanations for the deeper explanations that don't come fast and easy. But I do have objections against their use as basic theories.
My academic diploma in mathematics is not a hindrance to be critical of such a mathematical metaphysics. On the contrary: I learned when I was young that we can define an appropriate mathematical space to solve almost any sort of concrete problems. It doesn't mean that such a space is a real material one. It is a simple scaffolding, often useful and with constituents based upon real facts, nonetheless distinct from real space.
But instead of metaphysical properties, could we not find real matter in the vacuum? Given the fact that light is transformed in his trip across the vacuum, given the findings that 96% of matter and energy exist in an unknown form, given the paradoxes facing quantum physics (see the sections "Quantum ghosts" and "Wave or particle?") and given the need to resort to fleeting virtual particles, couldn't we think that the missing matter is hiding in the so-called empty space in an unexpected form?
Shouldn't we resort back to the notion of ether, the medium that was thought to transmit light waves, in which material sources were thought to vibrate to produce light waves? Shouldn't we resort, not to the old mechanical and static ether, but to an ether with dynamical material constituents having special properties to discover? It seems to me that many contradictions and paradoxes converge towards such a solution...
