Physics breakthrough could rewrite gravity rules at tiny scales
Researchers predict gravity weakens rather than strengthens at micron scales—contradicting conventional models and opening new experimental tests. If confirmed, the finding could reshape our understanding of dark matter, early universe formation, and why cosmic expansion is accelerating today.
Originaltitel: Weak gravity at micron scales from dark bubble cosmology and its cosmological consequences
<p>The dark bubble model makes a positive cosmological constant natural in string theory, and predicts several new physical phenomena within reach in the near future. In this paper we study the experimental consequences of the model for the strength of gravity at scales of order 10<sup>-5</sup> m. Contrary to other models of gravity involving extra dimensions, the dark bubble model predicts gravity to become weaker rather than stronger at small scales, compared to Newtonian gravity. In particular, we provide explicit predictions of measurable deviations using table top experiments. We also show how the same effect reduces the effective force of gravity at high-energy densities in cosmology, leading to a period of early inflation without the need for anything beyond radiation. We also discuss the quantum origin of the Universe with a 5D black hole acting as a catalyst for the nucleation of the dark bubble and how it accounts for the present matter content in the Universe. This leads to a prediction of Ω<sub>c</sub> ≈ 5 × 10<sup>-4</sup> for a positive curvature of the Universe, suggesting an explanation of the why-now-problem of the cosmological constant. We end by speculating on how to incorporate AdS black shells as black hole mimickers within the dark bubble model.</p>