Methuselah's Star and the Age of the Universe

The video explores the age of the universe, estimated at 13.8 billion years, and the methods used to determine this, including the universe's expansion and redshift. It discusses assumptions about the universe's uniformity and the role of dark matter and dark energy. The Methuselah Star, potentially older than the universe, challenges current estimates. Future research with advanced telescopes may refine these figures.

What is the estimated age of the universe according to the video?

• 12.4 billion years

• 15.2 billion years

• 13.8 billion years

• 10.5 billion years

What is the Hubble constant used to describe?

• The speed of light

• The rate of the universe's expansion

• The temperature of stars

• The density of dark matter

What phenomenon causes light from distant galaxies to shift to the red end of the spectrum?

• Blueshift

• Gravitational lensing

• Redshift

• Doppler effect

What assumption is made about the universe's density on the largest scales?

• It is denser near galaxies

• It is denser near black holes

• It is uniformly dense

• It is denser in some areas

What percentage of the universe is made up of dark energy?

• 27%

• 68%

• 50%

• 5%

What is the significance of the Methuselah Star in the context of the universe's age?

• It is the largest star in the galaxy

• It is older than the estimated age of the universe

• It is the youngest star discovered

• It is the closest star to Earth

What is the main challenge in understanding dark matter?

• It is too small to detect

• It cannot be directly observed

• It is too far away

• It is too bright to observe