A Hypothesis of Spatially Variable Speed of Light Based on the Stretching Effect of the Fundamental-Particle Network

This paper proposes a hypothesis regarding light propagation and gravitational interaction. The hypothesis posits that the universe is filled with fundamental particles forming a three-dimensional network, and that the propagation of light signals depends exclusively on this network. Near massive stars (such as the Sun), the geometric structure of the fundamental-particle network bends and stretches, increasing the distance between particles. This paper defines the observed "effective speed of light" by considering the ratio of the curved path length to the straight-line distance (chord length) between two points, as well as the attenuation of the local transmission rate. The derivation indicates that the effective speed of light is inversely proportional to the stretching rate of the network. A quantitative calculation for the Sun shows that the effective speed of light passing near it decreases by an extremely tiny amount (on the order of 10−1110−11). This result explains the physical nature of the speed of light while perfectly maintaining consistency with existing astronomical observations (e.g., the deflection angle of light).