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Early Dark Energy Could Resolve Cosmology’s Two Biggest Puzzles

A new study by physicists at MIT and The University of Texas at Austin tackles two of the biggest puzzles in cosmology. They are the Hubble tension, which refers to a mismatch in measurements of how fast the universe is expanding; and observations of numerous early, bright galaxies at a time when the early universe should have been much less populated.

New AI Institute Led by UT Researchers Will Accelerate Cosmic Discovery

The University of Texas at Austin has been chosen to lead a new institute that harnesses artificial intelligence to explore some of the leading mysteries of the universe, including dark matter and the fundamentals related to the search for life. Housed in UT’s Oden Institute for Computational Sciences and Engineering, its mission is to develop AI technologies for astronomical research to advance our understanding of the cosmos and accelerate the pace of new scientific discoveries.

Early Galaxies Weren't Too Big for Their Britches After All

When astronomers got their first glimpses of galaxies in the early universe from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, they were expecting to find galactic pipsqueaks, but instead they found what appeared to be a bevy of Olympic bodybuilders. Some galaxies appeared to have grown so massive, so quickly, that simulations could not account for them.

Observatory Remembers Harlan J. Smith on His 100th Birthday

On August 25, McDonald Observatory commemorated what would have been the 100th birthday of Harlan James Smith. He was the Observatory’s director from 1963 to 1989, a period of lasting impact on the site’s facilities, public outreach programs, and place within the greater astronomy community.

McDonald Observatory Welcomes New Assistant Director for Research Support

McDonald Observatory is pleased to announce the appointment of B-G Andersson as its new assistant director for research support. As a part of the Observatory’s management team, the assistant director oversees the allocation of observing time on the telescopes and supports the researchers and programs that qualify for it.