Dr. Robert K. Nesbet of IBM Almaden Research Center has made significant advances in cosmology by proposing a theory that combines several key elements of physics into a unified approach to the expansion of the universe and the rotation of galaxies. His work, published in the journal Symmetry, builds on history while providing a new perspective on the structure of the universe, specifically addressing problems traditionally solved by invoking dark matter.
The theory of conformal gravity draws on three distinct elements, each with its own origin. The first component, “conformal gravity”, was proposed by Hermann Weyl in 1918, aiming to unify gravity and electromagnetism. Although Weil’s initial goals were unsuccessful, the theory was revived by Dr. Mannheim in later decades. Mannheim and D. Kazanas applied it to the Milky Way rotation problem in 1989. Key ideas.
The second component is the conformal Higgs model, a concept proposed by Dr. Nesbet in 2011. As Dr. Nesbet explains, “The Higgs field in our conformal model naturally behaves like a cosmological constant,” providing a new way to understand the accelerating expansion of the universe.
The third element is the depleted galaxy halo model, proposed by Dr. Nesbet in 2015. According to Nesbett’s theory, these halos may actually be produced by the condensation of background mass, eliminating the need for invisible dark matter.
A central feature of the theory is that it provides new explanations for the unexpected behavior of galaxies. In general, according to Newtonian physics, stars farther away from the center of a galaxy should orbit slower. However, observations showed that stars in the outer edges of galaxies rotate at an almost constant speed, leading to the hypothesis of dark matter. Conformal gravity explains this by proposing that conformal symmetry changes the way gravity works on galactic scales, without the need for dark matter.
These ideas also provide an alternative explanation for the accelerating expansion of the universe. Traditional models rely on the mysterious power of dark energy, but Nesbett’s conformal model shows the Higgs field could provide a more direct explanation. This idea not only challenges existing paradigms, but also has implications for the role of the Higgs boson, discovered in 2012. Contribute to the long-sought unifying theory.
Dr. Nesbett’s work simplifies existing cosmological models, proposing that the expansion of the universe and the rotation of the galaxy can be explained through established physical principles, without the need for new and undiscovered forces. If proven, this approach could fundamentally change our understanding of the universe, eliminating the need for dark matter and dark energy – concepts that have eluded scientists for decades.
As Dr. Nesbett said, “This theory allows us to explain many puzzling observations of the universe without resorting to unknown forces or particles.” He emphasized that the core idea – conformal symmetry – is universally applicable , which controls the behavior of elementary particles and large-scale cosmic structures. This unification could be an important step toward a more complete understanding of the universe.
Despite the promising results, further research is needed to confirm the validity of these theories. Detailed observations of galaxy rotations and further refinement of models of the expansion of the universe will be critical to determining whether Dr. Nesbett’s ideas can completely replace dark matter and dark energy models.
Journal reference
Nesbet, RK “Conformal theory of gravity and expansion of the universe”. Symmetry, 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym16010003
About the author
Robert K. NesbetBorn March 10, 1930, in Cleveland, Ohio, received a BA in physics from Harvard University in 1951, a PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1954, and was supported at St. John’s College as a Henry Fellow and a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellow. He spent two years as a researcher at MIT before becoming an assistant professor of physics at Boston University. He conducted research at RIAS, Baltimore Martin Company, Institut Pasteur in Paris, and Brookhaven National Laboratory before becoming a researcher at IBM (later Almaden Research Center) in San Jose, California, in 1962. Associate Editor of the Journal He earned his PhD in Computational Physics and the Journal of Chemical Physics from 1969 to 1974 and served as a visiting professor at various universities around the world. Professor Nesbet officially retired in 1994, but has since continued his research, shifting his focus from interacting electrons to galactic astrophysics and cosmology. He has more than 300 publications in computational physics, atomic and molecular physics, theoretical chemistry, solid-state physics, cosmology and gravity theory. He is the author or co-author of several books, including Variational Principles and Methods in Theoretical Physics and Chemistry, Cambridge University Press 2003.
