Where is the Missing Mass? 

A Field-Based Reinterpretation of Dark Matter and Energy

In a previous article, I explored the concept of dark matter and its implications for our understanding of the cosmos. This article continues that inquiry by considering alternative explanations for the so-called "missing mass" and "missing energy" of the universe—rooted not in exotic particles or mysterious forces, but in the behavior of fields that may underlie the fabric of space itself.

Standard cosmology tells us that as the universe expands, it exhibits a negative energy density. This leads to the curious result that the universe appears to lose energy over time—especially evident in the redshift of photons and the dilution of matter. While general relativity allows for this loss due to the lack of a global energy conservation law in curved spacetime, it raises profound questions about the fate and destination of this missing energy.

The Problem of Missing Mass

Observations show that stars in galaxies orbit at speeds that cannot be explained by the visible mass alone. Gravitational lensing—where the path of light is bent by mass—also shows more mass than we can see. Large-scale structure formation, such as the clustering of galaxies, further demands extra gravitational pull.

To explain these phenomena, cosmologists introduced the concept of dark matter: a non-luminous form of matter that interacts gravitationally but not electromagnetically. According to standard models, dark matter makes up approximately 27% of the universe's total energy content.

Additionally, the accelerated expansion of the universe, discovered through distant supernova observations, points to another invisible component: dark energy. This form of energy is thought to constitute about 68% of the universe and acts as a repulsive force, pushing galaxies apart.

Together, these two invisible components account for roughly 95% of the universe's total content—leaving only about 5% for ordinary, visible matter.

A New Possibility: Energy Stored in Fields

In the field-based cosmological model proposed here, the universe is not made of isolated particles moving through empty space, but of deeply interwoven and dynamically nested fields. These fields—not just electromagnetic or gravitational, but possibly including undiscovered or misunderstood structures—form the true fabric of reality.

When the universe expands, photons redshift, losing energy. In standard cosmology, this energy simply vanishes from the observable budget, which raises the question: where does the energy go? General relativity allows for this apparent loss, because energy conservation is not globally defined in dynamic, curved spacetime.

But if the universe is made of fields, and those fields evolve as the universe expands, then the lost energy may not vanish at all. Instead, it could be absorbed into the field structure itself—manifesting as increased mass-energy of the background fields. In this view, the fabric of space is not passive; it dynamically responds to cosmic evolution by changing its internal energy state.

Field Mass and Vacuum Structure

If fields possess mass or inertia, then the energy lost during cosmic expansion may be transmuted into this mass. As photons redshift and matter thins out, energy is effectively transferred into the nested field architecture. This would not require exotic particles to explain dark matter, nor invoke a mysterious repulsive force to explain dark energy. Instead, both could be understood as phase shifts and energy accumulations in the fabric of space itself.

This reinterpretation has several advantages:

• It preserves energy conservation in a global sense by accounting for where redshifted energy goes.

• It connects cosmological observations to known physics—fields and interactions—without requiring unknown particles.

• It opens the door for unified theories that treat matter, space, and energy as aspects of a single field-based system.

Conclusion

The missing mass of the universe may not be missing at all. It may be hiding in plain sight, embedded in the structure of space itself. As the universe expands and energy appears to dissipate, that energy may be stored in or transformed by the very fields that constitute spacetime. This approach offers a coherent, physically grounded reinterpretation of dark matter and dark energy—not as exotic unknowns, but as natural consequences of a dynamically evolving field-based cosmos.

🔥 Does the Universe Obey the Laws of Thermodynamics?

In standard cosmology, the universe does not strictly obey the three laws of thermodynamics—especially not on a global scale. While these laws are foundational to physics in laboratories and closed systems, their application to the entire universe, particularly in an expanding spacetime, is problematic.

1. First Law — Conservation of Energy

The first law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. Yet in an expanding universe, photons redshift and lose energy, and that energy is not transferred to any known system. In general relativity, total energy is not globally defined in curved spacetime. As a result, the universe appears to lose energy with no accounting for where it goes.

Conclusion: The First Law does not hold globally in standard cosmology.

2. Second Law — Entropy Always Increases

Entropy is generally understood to increase in the universe: stars burn fuel, galaxies cluster, black holes grow. However, the low-entropy initial state of the universe, and the role of inflation, remain mysterious. While entropy seems to increase locally, the total cosmic entropy budget is not fully understood.

Conclusion: The Second Law likely holds, but with caveats and open questions.

3. Third Law — Absolute Zero Is Unattainable

This law is technically upheld: the universe never reaches absolute zero. The cosmic microwave background remains at ~2.7 K. However, the third law has little relevance at the scale of the universe's expansion and structure.

Conclusion: Not violated, but cosmologically insignificant.

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🌌 A Field-Based Alternative

In a field-based cosmology, where the universe consists of nested, evolving fields rather than passive empty space, these thermodynamic inconsistencies may be resolved. The apparent loss of energy could be a transformation—energy absorbed into the structure or mass of the background fields. Entropy increase could be reinterpreted as a rise in the complexity or phase diversity of the field system.

In this view, the universe remains a closed, coherent system. Energy is conserved, not in the form of particle motion, but in the dynamic evolution of the fields that constitute reality.

🕳️ Dark Matter and the Missing Mass

• NASA Science: Dark Matter 101 – Looking for the Missing Mass
  An accessible overview of dark matter's role in cosmic structure and the evidence supporting its existence.
  🔗 NASA Science

• Wikipedia: Dark Matter
  A comprehensive summary of dark matter's properties, observational evidence, and theoretical models.
  🔗 Wikipedia – Dark Matter

• Physics Today: Five Decades of Missing Matter
  A historical perspective on the discovery and study of dark matter over the past fifty years.
  🔗 Physics Today

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🌌 Dark Energy and Cosmic Expansion

• University of Chicago News: Dark Energy Explained
  An in-depth explanation of dark energy, its discovery, and its implications for cosmology.
  🔗 UChicago News

• Wikipedia: Dark Energy
  A detailed article covering the concept of dark energy, supporting observations, and theoretical interpretations.
  🔗 Wikipedia – Dark Energy

• Quanta Magazine: Dark Energy May Be Weakening
  A report on recent studies suggesting that dark energy's influence might be changing over time.
  🔗 Quanta Magazine

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🧠 Alternative Theories and Field-Based Models

• arXiv: The 'Missing Mass Problem' in Astronomy and Cosmology
  A scholarly paper discussing the challenges in explaining missing mass and exploring alternative theories.
  🔗 arXiv

• arXiv: Observational Constraints on Conformal Time Symmetry, Missing Matter, and Double Dark Energy
  An exploration of models proposing additional dark energy components and their observational implications.
  🔗 arXiv

• arXiv: Kinematics of Radion Field – A Possible Source of Dark Matter
  A study proposing that certain fields could account for dark matter phenomena.
  🔗 arXiv