A Distance-Based Cosmology: Reframing the Universe's Edge Velocities Without Invoking Dark Matter

The current ΛCDM model relies on dark matter to explain galaxy rotation curves (Rubin & Ford, 1970) and dark energy to account for the accelerating expansion of the universe (Perlmutter et al., 1999; Planck Collaboration, 2020). This paper presents an alternative framework in which time is not fundamental but an emergent function of distance, leading to a modified velocity equation. Using this framework, we analyze the Milky Way, Andromeda, and the observable universe’s edge, demonstrating that observed velocity discrepancies may be partially explained without invoking exotic matter or energy. The results suggest that cosmic acceleration may be an observational artifact rather than evidence of an unknown force.