Talks to Watch

JWST just made the "Crisis in Cosmology" WORSE

1.3M views · Dec 8, 2022 · 16:36 · 2 HN recommenders · 4 mentions · discussed 2022–2024

Astrophysicist Dr. Becky explains the Hubble tension, the disagreement between expansion-rate measurements from the cosmic microwave background and the distance ladder, and what early JWST Cepheid observations add.

Why Hacker News points people here: Recommended as an accessible layperson introduction to the Hubble tension when new expansion-rate results make the news.

“she introduces laymen to the problems well”HN comment, 2024

What Hacker News said 4

RecommendsharywilkeMar 2024

“Dr.Becky goes over this in a video [0] from a year ago about the divergent results obtained by the two main ways we measure the rate of expansion.”

Covers diverging CMB versus supernova measurements of the expansion rate

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Dr.Becky goes over this in a video [0] from a year ago about the divergent results obtained by the two main ways we measure the rate of expansion. Cosmic Microwave Background Vs. Supernovae. As the accuracy of each method has improved, the end results have diverged. [0] 'theJWST just made the "Crisis in Cosmology" WORSE' this video

in “Webb and Hubble confirm Universe's expansion rate” · view on HN
RecommendsjugMar 2024

“she introduces laymen to the problems well”

Accessible introduction to the Hubble tension and JWST measurements for laymen

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I can recommend Dr. Becky's introduction to the issues surrounding the Hubble Tension and recent JWST measurements in this 16 minute clip, as she introduces laymen to the problems well: this video It's an older clip, but it checks out... ;) (still JWST discoveries and she most importantly introduces the viewer to the still remaining conflicts)

in “Webb and Hubble confirm Universe's expansion rate” · view on HN
Cites itlovelearningDec 2022

“the distance ladder itself seems to have come under some doubt recently”

Explains the crisis in cosmology and doubts about the distance ladder

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> "we can be absolutely confident of their fantastic distances" My current layperson's understanding is: 1) Redshift-to-distance conversion is a calibration based on the distance ladder. 2) And the distance ladder itself seems to have come under some doubt recently due to the "cosmological crisis" [1]. Can someone here ELI5 how they can be absolutely confident of these distances? [1] "JWST just made the Crisis in Cosmology WORSE" this video

in “Astronomers Just Confirmed the Most Ancient Galaxies Ever Observed” · view on HN
Cites itSkyMarshalJan 2023

“the question seems unsettled at best”

Supports that expansion-rate measurements disagree and the question is unsettled

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Considering the two methods for measuring the rate of the universe’s expansion differ by about 10%, the question seems unsettled at best. You’re not wrong to question it. this video

in “The James Webb Space Telescope is finding too many early galaxies” · view on HN