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Science Frontiers ONLINE No. 89: Sep-Oct 1993 |
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An Age Paradox
"Cosmologists say the universe may be 8 to 15 billion years old. Stellar astronomers disagree. They say the oldest stars are much older, perhaps 16 to 19 billion years old. Because the oldest stars can't be older than the universe in which they lie, this age paradox presents a thorny problem for astronomers."
At least two solutions to the paradox are possible: (1) The cosmological distance scale used to determine the age of the universe is incorrect; and/or (2) Our theories about how stars work and evolve are in error. Something has to give.
(Jayawardhana, Ray; "The Age Paradox," Astronomy, 21:39, June 1993.)
Comment. Also pertinent here are H. Arp's collection of red-shift anomalies, which also call into question the cosmological distance scale; and those missing solar neutrinos, which cast doubt on our ideas about how stars work.
H. Arp's redshift anomalies are cataloged in AQB and AWB in our catalog: Stars, Galaxies, Cosmos. To order, see: here.