The Universe Is Expanding Faster Than Expected | Are Food Recalls Actually On The Rise?

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Dec 13, 2024

Casey Crownhart, a climate and technology reporter at MIT Technology Review, delves into the intriguing findings from the James Webb Space Telescope, revealing the universe's unexpected acceleration in its expansion. The discussion also addresses a common misconception about the rise in food recalls, clarifying that 2024's numbers are consistent with previous years. Additionally, topics include advancements in quantum computing and innovative prosthetic technologies, shedding light on the intersection of science and everyday life.

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INSIGHT

Universe Expanding Too Fast

The universe appears to be expanding faster than predicted by current cosmological models.
This discrepancy, known as the Hubble Tension, is confirmed by James Webb Space Telescope observations.

INSIGHT

Not a Telescope Error

The Hubble Tension isn't due to telescope errors, as James Webb data confirms previous Hubble observations.
Leading theories suggest dark matter or dark energy might explain this accelerated expansion.

INSIGHT

Google's Quantum Leap

Google's new quantum computing chip, Willow, performs a complex task much faster than supercomputers.
It also demonstrates improved error correction, a key challenge in quantum computing.

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The effect, known as the Hubble Tension, has been confirmed by James Webb Space Telescope observations. Also, despite near daily warnings of food recalls, 2024 hasn’t been that different from previous years.

The Universe Is Expanding Faster Than Expected

There’s still a lot to be learned about the physics of our universe—and one of the most perplexing ideas is something called the Hubble Tension. That’s an observation, made around a decade ago, that the universe seems to be expanding faster than it should be according to cosmologists’ understanding of its earliest days. Now, two years of James Webb Space Telescope observations of supernovae have confirmed those previous measurements made by the Hubble telescope, meaning that the puzzle isn’t just due to some instrumental error.

Casey Crownhart, climate reporter at MIT Technology Review, joins Kathleen Davis to talk about that finding and other stories from the week in science, including a new quantum computing chip from Google, efforts to improve electrical control of prosthetics, proposed new protections for monarch butterflies, and more.

Are Food Recalls Actually On The Rise? Not Really.

It feels like there’s been an onslaught of food recalls this year. The Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture have issued recalls for items like cucumbers and carrots, deli meat and smoked salmon, which have been contaminated with pathogens like salmonella, E. coli, and listeria.

There were just over 1,900 food recalls in the fiscal year ending in October 2024. While that number has been increasing since an initial dip in recalls early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s still lower than the numbers seen in the several years before the pandemic.

SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with Dr. Byron Chaves, food scientist and professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, about why it feels like there are so many food recalls this year, how a recall happens, and what food safety tips you should know as a consumer.

Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

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