Scientists have suggested that the universe is not expanding as previously thought.

A team from the University of Oxford apparently discovered evidence that proves otherwise, even if this was initially used to prove that the universe is expanding at an accelerated rate.

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By examining exploding, dying stars, astronomers were able to obtain new data about how this kind of supernovae has been increasing rapidly and vastly.

According to Subir Sarkar from the Department of Physics at Oxford, now we have a larger database of supernovae after conducting intensive analysis and statistical studies. After examining 740 Type Ia supernovae, that are ten times larger than the original evidence that previously supported how the universe was expanding, the team found that this accelerated expansion is known as the "3 stigma" and not as a "5 stigma" that is the standard required to claim a discovery is of fundamental significance.

 The new findings of this study are apparently more consistent with this continuous rate of expansion, which means it is not accelerating and that these tests are "indirect" evidence.

Sarkar added that their new data could change 20 years worth of research as past studies about universe expansion have won awards such as the Nobel Prize and the Gruber Cosmology Prize, including the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. He also believes that these studies might be based on incorrect models, leading to the conclusion that the universe is mostly covered in "dark energy" like some cosmic constant.

He said that these incorrect models are based on data from oversimplified, theoretical models that were made in the 1930s, long before any real direct evidence or data.

This new study was published in the journal, Scientific Reports.