Is the Universe Spinning Ever So Slowly?
The universe might be hiding a slow-motion secret—a gentle, almost imperceptible spin that could help solve one of modern astronomy’s biggest puzzles: the Hubble tension.
This idea may sound like science fiction, but a bold new theory by astrophysicist István Szapudi of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa offers a fresh and compelling explanation for why the universe seems to be expanding at different rates depending on how we measure it.
Could a subtle cosmic rotation truly be the missing piece in this cosmic puzzle?
What Exactly Is the Hubble Tension?
For decades, astronomers have been measuring the rate at which the universe expands—a value known as the Hubble constant. But here’s the problem: they keep getting different results.
- Nearby measurements using supernovae and galaxies suggest the universe is expanding faster—about 73 km/s per megaparsec.
- Distant measurements from the cosmic microwave background (CMB)—the leftover light from the Big Bang—point to a slower rate, around 67 km/s per megaparsec.
This inconsistency is called the Hubble tension, and it’s more than a minor disagreement—it suggests something may be missing from our understanding of cosmology itself.
A Twisting Solution: The Rotating Universe Hypothesis
Enter Szapudi’s theory: What if the universe isn’t expanding perfectly symmetrically in all directions?
Szapudi proposes that the universe might have a tiny rotational component—a slow cosmic spin that subtly alters how we observe expansion across different distances and times.
“If the universe is spinning, even ever so slightly, it could skew the way we interpret light from distant objects,” Szapudi explains.
Using advanced mathematical models, Szapudi found that a very gradual rotation—so slow it completes one rotation every 500 billion years—could potentially bridge the gap between the two conflicting expansion rates. Even though we’d never directly “feel” such a rotation, its cumulative effects over cosmic scales might be significant.
How Could This Work?
This rotating model challenges the long-held assumption that the universe is perfectly isotropic—the same in all directions. Szapudi’s model suggests a universe that is almost symmetrical, but with just enough rotational energy to account for the Hubble discrepancy.
The implications are huge. If the universe has angular momentum, it would mean that our cosmic history includes a slight twist—possibly originating during or just after the Big Bang. That would not only tweak the expansion rate but could ripple through other theories related to dark energy, inflation, and large-scale structure formation.

Illustration showing the expansion of the Universe from the Big Bang to the present day. Credit: Andreus / iStock / Getty Images Plus
A Gentle Spin, A Giant Leap for Cosmology?
While this isn’t the first time someone has proposed a rotating universe, past models were often dismissed because they conflicted with Einstein’s general relativity or observable cosmic data. Szapudi’s version is different—it fits within general relativity and doesn’t contradict current observations.
What makes this theory particularly intriguing is its potential to connect seemingly unrelated phenomena in a unified framework. Could this rotation influence the cosmic web of galaxies? Might it affect how gravitational waves travel across space?
What’s Next? Testing the Theory
The idea is still in its early stages, but it opens new avenues for exploration. Future work includes:
- Running computer simulations to see how a rotating universe would evolve.
- Designing observational tests to detect subtle anisotropies or polarization patterns in the cosmic microwave background.
- Collaborating with ongoing missions like Euclid, James Webb Space Telescope, and CMB-S4 to refine measurements of cosmic expansion and structure.
A Spinning Mystery Waiting to Be Unraveled
Cosmology thrives on questions that challenge the status quo. Whether this rotating universe theory holds up or not, it reminds us of one powerful truth: the universe is still full of mysteries.
As scientists dig deeper into the fabric of spacetime, we may find that the cosmos is far stranger—and more wonderful—than we ever imagined.
💫 Could the universe truly be spinning? And if so, what else might we have missed about its grand design? Stay curious—and keep looking up.
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