Two Stony Brook University professors, Simon Birrer and Anja von der Linden, and an international team of researchers have utilized a new technique to measure the expansion rate of the Universe. This will help scientists more accurately determine the Universe’s age and better their understanding of the cosmos.
The research team used multiple images of the Supernova Refsdal explosion in 2014 from the Hubble Space Telescope to help with their calculations. By using the time delays between the taken images, the research team was able to measure the Hubble constant. Their contribution may even settle a longstanding debate among scientists about the current Universe expansion rate.
“The measurement of the expansion rate of the Universe is a rollercoaster,” Birrer said. “While a few years ago, most strong lensing measurements yielded higher values in tension with the cosmic microwave background estimates, more recent estimates and revised methodology have resulted in lower values. Our research corroborates a trend, yet does not provide the last word on the expansion rate.”
Read the story on Stony Brook University News.
— Edited by Viyang Hao ’26
