How Fast Is the Universe Really Expanding?
Summary
Host Jana Levin interviews Nobel laureate Adam Riess, her former MIT student, about his discovery of the universe’s accelerating expansion. They discuss using Type Ia supernovae as standard candles to measure cosmic distances and the surprising role of dark energy. The conversation also covers the Lambda-CDM model and recent observational tensions challenging current cosmological theories.
Topics discussed
Introduction to The Joy of Why podcast
Host introduction and guest background
Adam Riess's early education at MIT
Using supernovae as standard candles
Measuring cosmic distances and redshifts
Physics of Type 1a supernovae
The process of discovering supernovae
Discovery of accelerating universe expansion
Einstein's cosmological constant and dark energy
The Lambda-CDM standard model of cosmology
The Hubble Tension and conflicting data
Scientific rigor and cross-checking results
Future telescopes and new discoveries
The joy of scientific inquiry and conclusion
Listen ad-free on Castria