One of the greatest joys of working in the field of astronomy is how frequently it challenges our understanding of the Universe. But until the early 20th century it was largely conjecture, devoid of the data necessary to establish a consensus. The cosmos, it seemed, is 13.8 billion years old, give or take, starting in a Big Bang and expanding ever since. When the Universe was young that expansion was very fast. As the Universe aged that expansion slowed, but then as it got even older that expansion speeded up again.

Source: Irish Examiner March 01, 2026 23:04 UTC