Is It Time For A New Model Of The Universe?
Summary
Cosmologists discuss the current state of the standard model of the universe, focusing on the unresolved 'Hubble tension' where expansion rates don't match predictions. They explore the mysterious nature of dark energy and dark matter, questioning if entirely new physics is needed to explain the universe's accelerating expansion. The episode highlights exciting new instruments like the Vera Rubin Observatory that promise to shed light on these cosmic mysteries.Episode description
For decades, astronomers have been trying to nail down the value of the Hubble constant—a measure of how fast the universe is expanding. But some cosmologists say there’s evidence that the universe is expanding faster than physics can explain, and our current models of it might be broken. Hosts Flora Lichtman and Ira Flatow talk with Wendy Freedman and Dan Scolnic, two cosmologists with different takes on this constant controversy.
Guests:
Wendy Freedman, a former team leader of the Hubble Key Project, is a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Dan Scolnic is a cosmologist and associate professor of physics at Duke University in North Carolina.
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