Hypothesis proposes that light speed varies based on local conditions and requires revisions to fundamental theories.
The speed of light in vacuum, c=299,792,458 m/s, is defined as a fundamental constant. This paper proposes the Carrier-Dependent Speed of Light hypothesis: that c is an emergent, local property dependent on vacuum permeability μ, vacuum permittivity ε, medium, gravitational field, distance, and the quantum state of the "photon carrier" of space. We identify a ∼115 m/s discrepancy between different derivations of c. We further propose that c is observer-position dependent and time-dependent, analogous to time dilation. If correct, this requires revision to relativity, cosmology, quantum field theory, and the assumption of universal physical laws. We propose that "dark energy" is a measurement artifact of changing carrier friction: c was lower in the past and will be higher in the future.
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Pravesh Pandey (2026) studied this question.
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