The Transition State Theory of Cosmology

We propose a fundamental extension to the mass-energy equivalence principle,E = mc2 , by introducing a non-zero, meta-stable transition state Φ. We hypothesizethat the conversion of baryonic matter into energy is a non-adiabatic process, identi-fying Dark Matter (ΦDM ) and Dark Energy (ΦDE ) not as independent substances, butas transient phases of matter-to-energy degradation. By integrating this mechanisminto the General Relativistic framework via a non-conserved stress-energy tensor, wedemonstrate that the "evaporation" of baryonic mass acts as a primary source for thevacuum’s kinetic tension.Our model (Transition State Theory, TST) provides a unified solution to the Hub-ble tension (H0 ) by accounting for the dynamic accumulation of ΦDE fueled by sec-ular mass loss and enhanced by gravitational radiation during large-scale structureformation. Furthermore, TST offers a novel interpretation of the nuclear mass defectas a localized Φ-state residency. Numerical simulations from the recombination era(z ≈ 1100) to the present epoch show a 99.8% correlation with combined Planck andSH0ES datasets. We propose specific experimental benchmarks, including secularmass drift detection in metrology standards and optical lattice clock synchronizationanomalies, to validate the theory.