Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Claudia de Rham, George Ellis, and Bjørn Ekeberg debate the latest findings of the JWST and the Hubble Telescope, and the implications that this new evidence might have for our theories of the universe.
Why do we keep finding data to suggest that there's matter older than the Big Bang?
With a free trial, you can watch the full debate NOW at iai.tv/video/cosmology-in-crisis?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=description
From the Big Bang to the expanding universe, we imagine we have a detailed account of the origin and formation of the cosmos. But, in the last few years, new evidence from the James Webb Telescope is challenging these assumptions and leading some to propose radically different alternatives. In 2023, the telescope identified a higher rate of expansion for the universe and mature galaxies billions of years earlier than previously predicted. In 2024, NASA confirmed the differences couldn't be explained by measurement error. In combination, these have led some to claim there is a crisis in cosmology sufficiently profound to threaten a wholesale change in our understanding.
Do the findings of the James Webb telescope mean our standard account of the universe is mistaken, or can we patch up the current theory to make it compatible with the new observations? Will a new theory require a change to our account of dark energy and the identification of new particles, or is the Big Bang inflation model itself at stake?
#physics #science #cosmology #bigbang #jwst
George Ellis is a South African cosmologist and philosopher of science renowned for bridging the gap between physics and metaphysics.
Claudia de Rham is a Swiss theoretical physicist at Imperial College London whose theory of massive gravity proposes that the graviton carries a nonzero mass—offering an alternative account of the universe's accelerating expansion.
Bjørn Ekeberg is a Norwegian philosopher of science, author, entrepreneur, and cultural creator whose work challenges orthodox thinking in cosmology, scientific knowledge, and human understanding.
Hosted by Jay Shapiro.
The Institute of Art and Ideas features videos and articles from cutting edge thinkers discussing the ideas that are shaping the world, from metaphysics to string theory, technology to democracy, aesthetics to genetics. Subscribe today! iai.tv/subscribe?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=cosmology-in-crisis
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Claudia de Rham, George Ellis, and Bjørn Ekeberg debate the latest findings of the JWST and the Hubble Telescope, and the implications that this new evidence might have for our theories of the universe.
Why do we keep finding data to suggest that there's matter older than the Big Bang?
With a free trial, you can watch the full debate NOW at iai.tv/video/cosmology-in-crisis?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=description
From the Big Bang to the expanding universe, we imagine we have a detailed account of the origin and formation of the cosmos. But, in the last few years, new evidence from the James Webb Telescope is challenging these assumptions and leading some to propose radically different alternatives. In 2023, the telescope identified a higher rate of expansion for the universe and mature galaxies billions of years earlier than previously predicted. In 2024, NASA confirmed the differences couldn't be explained by measurement error. In combination, these have led some to claim there is a crisis in cosmology sufficiently profound to threaten a wholesale change in our understanding.
Do the findings of the James Webb telescope mean our standard account of the universe is mistaken, or can we patch up the current theory to make it compatible with the new observations? Will a new theory require a change to our account of dark energy and the identification of new particles, or is the Big Bang inflation model itself at stake?
#physics #science #cosmology #bigbang #jwst
George Ellis is a South African cosmologist and philosopher of science renowned for bridging the gap between physics and metaphysics.
Claudia de Rham is a Swiss theoretical physicist at Imperial College London whose theory of massive gravity proposes that the graviton carries a nonzero mass—offering an alternative account of the universe's accelerating expansion.
Bjørn Ekeberg is a Norwegian philosopher of science, author, entrepreneur, and cultural creator whose work challenges orthodox thinking in cosmology, scientific knowledge, and human understanding.
Hosted by Jay Shapiro.
The Institute of Art and Ideas features videos and articles from cutting edge thinkers discussing the ideas that are shaping the world, from metaphysics to string theory, technology to democracy, aesthetics to genetics. Subscribe today! iai.tv/subscribe?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=cosmology-in-crisis
For debates and talks: iai.tv
For articles: iai.tv/articles
For courses: iai.tv/iai-academy/courses
