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September 15, 2021

#2516: Hubble Tension explain

Hubble Tension

[Cueball and Ponytail are walking to the right. Ponytail has her palm raised.]

Ponytail: There are three main estimates of the universe’s expansion rate and they all disagree.

[They keeping walking to the right.]

Ponytail: Measurements of star distances suggest the universe is expanding at 73 km/s/megaparsec.

[They are still walking to the right.]

Ponytail: Measurements of the cosmic microwave background suggest it’s expanding at 68 km/s/megaparsec.

[They continue walking to the right. Ponytail points towards Dave who replies from off-panel to the right.]

Ponytail: And Dave, who has a radar gun, says it’s expanding at 85 mph in all directions.

Dave (off-panel): Those galaxies are really booking it!

Ponytail: Thanks, Dave.