Einstein’s theory of the expansion of the universe may be wrong. At least, that’s the gist of a new study published. Classical and Quantum Gravity earlier this month. The work was led by theoretical physicist Lucas Lombrizer at the University of Geneva. Lombreiser said that they looked at the cosmos with a new lens and discovered that the universe might not be expanding after all.

Long-held theories suggest that redshift, which means that light extends toward the redder end of the spectrum, is a sign that the universe is constantly expanding, pushing objects away from us. In addition, recent research shows that the rate of expansion of the universe is increasing gradually. This process is often called the cosmological constant. Also known as lambda.

However, the concept has been problematic since Einstein first described it, because observations don’t match up with astronomers’ and astrophysicists’ predictions of how fast the universe should expand. Therefore, some scientists speculate that there may be other particles or forces that could explain the discrepancy.

Rather than relying on this cosmological constant, Lombreiser says, Einstein’s original theory that the universe is flat and static might actually be correct, and that as the universe expands, there might be particles changing mass rather than galaxies moving away from us. The new theory is largely based on dark matter, which is believed to make up 80 percent of the mass of the universe and acts as an action field.

The axion field is a hypothetical particle that many consider the best choice for the identity of dark matter. Astronomers are looking for it but haven’t found it yet. While this new theory may seem a little unusual, it’s possible that it provides the answer astronomers have been looking for, especially given how deeply rooted the theory of an expanding universe has become.