'Seems Most Sketch To Me:' Elon Musk Raises Cosmic Doubt After New Study Nearly Doubles Estimated Age Of Universe

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk commented on a study suggesting that the age of the universe might be significantly older than previously estimated. 

What Happened: The study, published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, indicates that the universe could be approximately 26.7 billion years old, nearly double the previous estimate.

The study’s author, Rajendra Gupta, an adjunct professor of physics at the University of Ottawa, explained that their newly-devised model extends the galaxy formation time by several billion years, leading to the revised estimate. 

This adjustment addresses the “impossible early galaxy” problem, which pointed to a discrepancy between the maturity and mass of galaxies that appeared shortly after the Big Bang.

In response to an article shared by podcaster Joe Rogan, Musk expressed agreement with the possibility of the universe’s older age. He said, “Possibly. Dark matter is what seems most sketch to me.”

Why It Matters: Musk’s interest in space and his thoughts on extraterrestrial life have been a topic of discussion. In the past, he debunked speculations about aliens, stating that he had seen no evidence to support their existence. Additionally, Musk humorously suggested that if aliens were indeed discovered, it would likely benefit SpaceX’s revenue.

The notion of dark matter, which Musk referred to in his response, adds another layer of complexity to our understanding of the universe. Dark matter is an invisible and mysterious substance that scientists believe constitutes a significant portion of the universe’s mass but interacts weakly with light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. Its existence helps explain the observed gravitational effects that cannot be accounted for by visible matter alone.

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Elon Musk caricature by thongyhod on Shutterstock