it can. imagine the only thing in the universe is 64 nickels arranged like a chess board, with a nickel at the center of every square and two inches between each nickel. (also imagine there is a ruler in this universe you can use to measure too).

now if one day you find 3 inches between each nickel, you much conclude that magically all nickels moved proportionally from one spot, or all rulers in the space shrank, or space expanded.

indeed in our physical universe this is precisely what is happening right now.