Orem, Utah, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new study presented by Utah Valley University (UVU) astrophysicist Joseph B. Jensen, Ph.D., undergraduate student Mikaela Cowles, and other astronomers around the world includes compelling new evidence that the universe is expanding faster than current theories predict, challenging current scientific models.
“This is a major step forward,” said Jensen, professor of physics at UVU and a leading author of the study. “By using a completely independent method with the power of [the James Webb Space Telescope], we’ve confirmed that the universe is expanding faster than our best theories say it should. That means there’s likely something fundamental that we’re still missing in our understanding of the cosmos.”
The debate among astrophysicists as to how fast the universe is expanding is called the Hubble Tension.
Using ultra-precise data from NASA’s Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes (JWST) and the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on the Víctor M. Blanco Telescope operated by NSF’s NOIRLab, the international team employed an independent method of measuring galactic distances known as the Surface Brightness Fluctuation (SBF) technique. This allowed them to bypass traditional distance measurement methods.
Today’s widely accepted standard cosmological model combines Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity with forces from mysterious dark energy and dark matter, which together make up 95% of the total mass and energy of the universe. For the last decade, astrophysicists have debated whether the growing discrepancy between predicted and observed expansion rates is due to distance measurement errors or theoretical shortcomings. This new study has only added fire to the debate.
The team’s newly refined results peg the Hubble constant — the current rate of expansion of the universe — at 73.8 kilometers per second per megaparsec, a number nearly identical to prior results but significantly higher than the 67.5 value predicted by the widely accepted standard cosmological model.
For humankind, the new information does not change the conclusion that the universe will continue to expand indefinitely, but rather gives clues to how old the universe is, what it is made of, and how it was created — something physicists hope to learn much more about with JWST and other telescopes in the next few years.
The team’s work strengthens the growing case that current cosmological theories may need to be revised or expanded. “We’re not saying the standard model is wrong,” said Jensen. “But it’s clearly incomplete. These results help us move closer to understanding what might be missing.”
Unique Role for UVU Students and Faculty
The study, titled “The TRGB−SBF Project. III. Refining the HST Surface Brightness Fluctuation Distance Scale Calibration with JWST,” included undergraduate Mikaela Cowles, which reinforces UVU’s commitment to providing students with hands-on learning experiences.
“Our undergraduates are contributing directly to world-class science,” said Jensen. “Mikaela’s work on this paper is a shining example of the kind of hands-on research experience that UVU provides its students.”
In recognition of the team’s innovative approach, NASA has awarded them three additional JWST observing programs — more observing time than any other group seeking to measure the Hubble constant. These programs will extend the SBF measurements to well over 100 elliptical galaxies, dramatically expanding the reach and precision of this independent measurement technique.
These projects will bring approximately $220,000 in research funding to UVU, supporting student involvement, travel, and faculty-led research.
Media and Scientific Recognition
The study has already drawn attention in major scientific publications and media outlets.
Coverage includes:
Authors of the study include:
- Joseph B. Jensen, Utah Valley University
- John P. Blakeslee, NSF’s NOIRLab, Tucson, Arizona
- Michele Cantiello, INAF Osservatorio Astronomico d’Abruzzo, Teramo, Italy
- Mikaela Cowles, Utah Valley University (undergraduate student)
- Gagandeep S. Anand, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- R. Brent Tully, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Ehsan Kourkchi, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Gabriella Raimondo, INAF Osservatorio Astronomico d’Abruzzo, Teramo, Italy
Read the full study: The TRGB−SBF Project. III. Refining the HST Surface Brightness Fluctuation Distance Scale Calibration with JWST
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