Astronomers have used the James Webb and Hubble space telescopes to confirm one of the most troubling conundrums in all of physics — that the universe appears to be expanding at bafflingly different speeds depending on where we look.

This problem, known as the Hubble Tension, has the potential to alter or even upend cosmology altogether. In 2019, measurements by the Hubble Space Telescope confirmed the puzzle was real; in 2023, even more precise measurements from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) cemented the discrepancy.

Now, a triple-check by both telescopes working together appears to have put the possibility of any measurement error to bed for good. The study, published February 6 in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, suggests that there may be something seriously wrong with our understanding of the universe.

  • @some_guy
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    652 months ago

    The best moments in science are when we say, “wait, this doesn’t work.”

    • Malgas
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      422 months ago

      The sound of scientific discovery is less often “Eureka!” than “Huh, that’s funny…”

    • @mindlight@lemm.ee
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      312 months ago

      That’s exactly the opposite of how religion works and the reason why I firmly believe that there should be a clear separation between state and church.

      People can believe in whatever delusions they want as long as they don’t force them on me.

      • Hanrahan
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        102 months ago

        But they always do, always, everywhere.

        Even France which prides itself on it’s secularism is getting pounded. The US is delusional, “In God We Trust” ? Really, fuck that guy…

        If you have church, it’s always church and state.

      • @Master@lemm.ee
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        62 months ago

        Wouldn’t that just be forcing your view of separation of church and state on everyone else?

        /s