Subscribe now

Space

We live in a cosmic void so empty that it breaks the laws of cosmology

Mounting evidence suggests our galaxy sits at the centre of an expanse of nothingness 2 billion light years wide. If so, we may have to rethink our understanding of the universe

By Miriam Frankel

15 April 2024

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

ryan wills; Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images

Ever feel like you are stuck in a hole? Newsflash: you are. Astronomers call it the “local hole”, but that is quite the understatement. It is vast, gigantic, enormously huge – although, in truth, adjectives fail us when it comes to this expanse of nothingness. It is the largest cosmic void we know of, spanning 2 billion light years. Our galaxy happens to be near its centre, but the trouble with this hole isn’t that it presents a proximate danger – more that it shouldn’t exist at all.

That is, if one of our most firmly held beliefs about the cosmos

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop