'Cosmic crisis': The universe is growing faster than science can explain
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Cosmic Puzzle
The universe appears to be expanding faster than current physics can explain, raising alarms.
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Hubble Crisis
Dan Scolnic, a physicist from Duke University, warns the inconsistency in Hubble constant measurements has escalated into a crisis.
Credit: Duke University
Cluster Mystery
Using the Coma cluster, over 1,000 galaxies 320 million light-years away, researchers refined distance measures.
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Precise Distance
By studying Type Ia supernovae, Scolnic’s team confirmed the Coma cluster's distance at 321 million light-years.
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Expansion Rate
Calculations show space expanding at 76.5 km/s/megaparsec locally, contradicting ancient light measurements.
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Dual Numbers
Local expansion rates clash with data from ancient light, which suggests a slower rate of 67.4 km/s/megaparsec.
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Physics Gap
The mismatch hints at either errors in our models or entirely new physics governing the cosmos.
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DESI Effort
Data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument bridged measurement gaps, but mysteries remain.
Future Insights
As Scolnic notes, surprises in cosmology persist, hinting at discoveries that may reshape our understanding.
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