By Regina G. Barber, Rachel Carlson, Berly McCoy, Rebecca Ramirez | NPR
Published September 18, 2023 2:18 PM
Since its launch, the James Webb Space Telescope has sent back detailed images and spectra of galaxies from when the universe was just 900 million years old.
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NASA, ESA, CSA, Simon Lilly (ETH Zurich), Daichi Kashino (Nagoya University), Jorryt Matthee (ETH Zurich), Christina Eilers (MIT), Rongmon Bordoloi (NCSU), Ruari Mackenzie (ETH Zurich)
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Topline:
With the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists are shocked to find galaxies showed in our cosmic history much sooner than ever expected. It's a galactic controversy that has astronomers around the world excited — and puzzled. So what is it about these galaxies that is getting astronomers worked up? Not only is JWST finding galaxies forming 200-500 million years after the Big Bang, but also that they are bigger and brighter than astronomers expected.
How they're being found: The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful telescope ever put into space. As such, its helping usher in a new era of astrophysics. Astronomers can now study farther, earlier galaxies than ever before.
Read more ... to learn about the early galaxies. Also, there are pictures.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful telescope ever put into space. As such, its helping usher in a new era of astrophysics. Astronomers can now study farther, earlier galaxies than ever before.
"If you were a paleontologist, you would dig deeper and deeper to find the oldest bones. In astronomy, what we do is look at our history," says Jorge Moreno, an associate professor of astronomy at Pomona College. "We have to look back in time, but we don't have a time machine. So what we do is we look at really faraway distances."
As they peer into the deep, distant history of the universe, scientists are shocked to find galaxies showed in our cosmic history much sooner than scientists ever expected.
It's a galactic controversy that has astronomers around the world excited — and puzzled.
So what is it about these galaxies that is getting astronomers worked up? Not only is JWST finding galaxies forming 200-500 million years after the Big Bang, but also that they are bigger and brighter than astronomers expected.
Using light to peer into the past
The farthest galaxies seen by the telescope are also some of the earliest galaxies in our universe. The James Webb Space Telescope can see them because it is picking up the faint light emitted by them.
By the time light from these far reaches of the universe approaches the telescope, it is in the infrared range of light, and no longer viewable to the naked eye. The light visible to humans is just a fraction of the total range of light on the electromagnetic spectrum.
Cosmological redshift is the process by which wavelengths of light elongate as they travel through the expanding universe.
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NASA and A. Feild (STScI)
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This light has been traveling a long time by the time it reaches the telescope. For reference, it takes around eight minutes for light to travel from the sun to your eye. Light from Proxima Centauri, the nearest stellar neighbor of the sun, takes a little over four years to reach us here on earth.
Seeing a teenager when you expect a kindergartener
Light is a double-edged sword in the context of these galaxies. Its what lets us study the galaxies. But there's so much more of it than astronomers would have expected.
The brightness of a galaxy can be related to its mass, because a galaxy's light comes from stars. If you assume a certain average brightness and mass of a star, you can roughly estimate the mass of a galaxy.
But much of the modeling astronomers have done up to this point has led them to believe that there wasn't enough time for galaxies to get this massive in so little time.
"It's like if you went to a kindergarten and you saw a teenager," says Moreno.
However, Moreno says this assumption that brightness equates to mass may not always be accurate. For example, there could be an active supermassive black hole at the center of these early galaxies with bright accretion disks or high energy jets that would make the galaxies seem artificially massive. Or, if there's hot dust in the galaxies—which looks very bright in the infrared wavelengths picked up by the James Webb Space Telescope—that too would make the galaxies seem more massive than they are.
When young galaxies are advanced for their age
Most galaxies are separated into two types: spirals, which are disk-like with arms of dust and gas; and ellipticals, which are more like spheres of smooth light.
Until now, scientists thought that any galaxies from this relatively early period in the history of the universe would have been too young to have been forced into that binary yet. Instead, astronomers thought the galaxies would be ... blobs. But Moreno and other astronomers like him are excited to now be studying what look like pretty highly structured galaxies.
"Some of them look a lot like galaxies in the local universe," he says. "They seem to have added structure and maybe even spiral arms. That wasn't something we really expected."
The high level of structure and brightness in these galaxies is leading some astrophysicists to question the age of the universe.
The universe doesn't look a day over 13.8 billion years old
Roughly.
In an attempt to explain the shockingly bright, highly structured — and possibly quite massive — galaxies existing so early in the timeline of the universe, a researcher has posited that the universe is roughly twice as old as previously believed. They push the age of the universe from a spry 13.8 billion years old to roughly 26.7 billion years old.
An article published earlier this year in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society came to this conclusion after combining two models of the universe. One is the commonly accepted model for the expansion of the universe. This model explains that as the universe expands, the light from galaxies must travel further and therefore shifts from a bluer to a redder spectrum of light. The other model it is combined with has been debunked. It's called the tired light model, and it alleges that as light travels across the universe, it gets redder because it gets "tired," or loses energy.
Moreno says that while he thinks that combining the models is clever, it is not supported by scientific evidence.
"I think in science, if you already have a model that's simpler than that, you should stick to it—unless you have extraordinary evidence to do otherwise."
Moreno also cautions people against quickly jumping on this supposition that the universe is twice as old as previously thought. If it were true, scientists would be able to prove it through the direct observation of stars and galaxies that are older than 13.8 billion years old—the current accepted age of the universe.
No such evidence has been found.
Pausing to take in ancient, galactic wisdom
NASA receives more data from the James Webb Space Telescope everyday—and with additional data comes possibilities for new solutions.
But for Moreno, pausing for reflective moments about the conclusions we make based on observations are also important.
So too, are lessons from these galaxies, which Moreno notes alternately go through periods of brightening and dimming. "I think that's something we need to learn from them—that it's important to just have times where we're really excited to discover things. But there are times where we need to quiet down, take a break and really think through things clearly and slowly."
This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Berly McCoy. Anil Oza checked the facts. Josh Newell was the audio engineer. Special thanks to James Davenport.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said it would not enforce certain parking restrictions through Sept. 30 as part of a relief effort after the Lineage warehouse fire.
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Laura Anaya-Morga
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Topline:
Residents in parts of Boyle Heights may be eligible to have certain citations waived and benefit from relaxed parking enforcement through Sept. 30 following the Lineage warehouse fire.
Why now: The change comes after small business owners shared with elected officials that they’ve been struggling with low foot traffic after the fire. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, in a statement, said she hopes the new parking guidelines can “reduce unnecessary burdens” and make it “easier for customers to continue supporting neighborhood businesses during the recovery.”
Where to get help with a citation: Residents who believe they received a citation in error may contact Jurado’s Boyle Heights field office at 323-526-9332 and ask for the small business liaison.
Read on... for a map and list on where parking relief applies.
Residents in parts of Boyle Heights may be eligible to have certain citations waived and benefit from relaxed parking enforcement through Sept. 30 following the Lineage warehouse fire.
The change comes after small business owners shared with elected officials that they’ve been struggling with low foot traffic after the fire. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, in a statement, said she hopes the new parking guidelines can “reduce unnecessary burdens” and make it “easier for customers to continue supporting neighborhood businesses during the recovery.”
Rosie Echeverria, a representative for Council District 14, informed the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council about the relaxed parking enforcement at its Aug. 26 meeting. She provided attendees with a map showing the original assistance area and an added expansion. (See the map below).
“You should not be getting ticketed for meters. You should not be getting ticketed for overnight parking. You should not be ticketed for limited parking. For example, if it’s a ‘two-hour parking only’ and you end up staying three hours, you should not be getting a ticket for that,” Echeverria said.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said it would not enforce certain parking restrictions through Sept. 30. Here’s what you need to know.
Where the parking relief applies
Relaxed enforcement applies to eligible violations in the designated fire-affected areas. Enforcement is relaxed daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Original area (eligible for violations issued July 29 to Sept. 30)
A map shows relaxed parking enforcement areas.
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Jackie Ramirez made with Atlist
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The area bounded by:
Boyle Avenue
Cesar Chavez Avenue
Lorena Street
Olympic Boulevard
Expanded area (eligible for violations issued Aug. 17 to Sept. 30)
A map shows an extended area of relaxed parking enforcement.
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Jackie Ramirez made with Atlist
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The original boundaries, plus the area bounded by:
Soto Street
Cincinnati Street
Evergreen Avenue
Cesar Chavez Avenue
This includes Mott Street and Fickett Street, but excludes Forest Avenue
What parking enforcement is covered and what is not
Under this effort, the L.A. Department of Transportation is not enforcing parking restrictions related to:
Street meter parking
Residential street sweeping zones
Time limit restrictions, such as two-hour parking zones
Areas designating no parking between certain time frames
Overnight, oversize and preferential parking districts
The effort, however, does not suspend all parking enforcement, according to Jurado’s office. Areas that remain fully enforceable include:
Red zones
Bus zones
Handicapped zones
“No Parking Anytime” zones
“No Stopping Anytime” zones
All temporary “No parking” or “No stopping zones”
White curbs
Alleys and sidewalks
Where to get help with a citation
Residents who believe they received a citation in error may contact Jurado’s Boyle Heights field office at 323-526-9332 and ask for the small business liaison.
The L.A. Department of Transportation said that if someone believes a citation was issued in error and would like to contest it, they can contact the Parking Violations Bureau online or by phone at 866-561-9742.
L.A. Documenter Yliana Roland contributed to this story. L.A. Documenters trains and pays L.A. residents to take notes at local government meetings around Los Angeles. You can find meeting notes and audio at losangeles.documenters.org
Celebrate Orange County's Latino communities at Santa Ana's Fiestas Patrias on Sept. 12 and 13.
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Courtesy City of Santa Ana
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A play looks back on 9/11, NFL season kicks off, a Mexican Independence day celebration in Santa Ana, postcards from Ukraine and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights
NFL season is here again, and the Rams first game of the year is taking on our neighbors to the north, the 49ers. Head to the Regent for a free watch party.
There’s still plenty of good weather for a free outdoor Americana folk concert, and that’s exactly what’s in store at Santa Monica’s Gandara Park.
Celebrate Orange County's vibrant Latino communities at Santa Ana's Fiestas Patrias in honor of Mexico’s Independence Day.
I was fortunate to get a sneak peek at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art last week and given how many thoughts our Best Things to Do readers had on the new LACMA Geffen Galleries, I can’t wait to hear what you think of the Lucas once it opens to the public on Sept. 22. Please share your thoughts when you go!
I was blown away by the building — it’s light and airy while feeling futuristic and somewhat imposing at the same time. The gardens are green and have plenty of places to sit and soak up the sun or the shade, and the reading room (which will be free and open to all) is definitely going on the "best places to cowork" list. The art collection is mostly organized by subject rather than era and includes works by artists from Norman Rockwell to Frida Kahlo to Banksy to Lucas himself via the many pieces of Star Wars history on display. There's truly something for everyone.
Thursday, Sept. 10, 5:35 p.m. The Regent 448 Main St., Downtown L.A. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy The Regent Theater
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I guess summer really is over because football season is here again and the Rams first game of the year is taking on our neighbors to the north, the 49ers. Head to the Regent for a free watch party; there’s a state-of-the-art sound system and LED video wall, plus it’s free.
Americana in the Park
Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. Gandara Park 1819 Stewart Ave., Santa Monica COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Alright, kids are back in school and football season started, but is it ever really not summer here? There’s still plenty of good weather for a free outdoor Americana folk concert and that’s exactly what’s in store at Santa Monica’s Gandara Park. Put on by our friends at McCabe’s Guitar Shop, there will be performances from Albert Lee, Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, Abby Posner & the Big Fall, Jason Luckett, the Bob Baker Marionettes.
Fiestas Patrias Festival
Sept. 12-13 Multiple locations, Downtown Santa Ana COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Celebrate Orange County's vibrant Hispanic and Latino communities at Santa Ana's Fiestas Patrias in honor of Mexico’s Independence Day. There’s a parade and street fair, live entertainment from local bands, carnival rides, food, and more.
Steel Magnolias
Thursday, Sept. 10, 7:35pm Rooftop Cinema Club 888 S. Olive St., 4th Floor, Downtown L.A. COST: $31.05; MORE INFO
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Rooftop Cinema Club
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Rooftop Cinema Club is honoring Dolly Parton’s legacy with a screening of the ultimate ode to Southern female friendship, Steel Magnolias (in both Spanish and English), with 10 percent of ticket sales benefiting Parton's Imagination Library.
Staged reading of WTC View
Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m. Celebration Theatre & LA LGBT Center The Village at Ed Gould Plaza (Renberg Theatre) 1125 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood COST: FROM $29; MORE INFO
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Los Angeles LGBT Center
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Michael Urie (Ugly Betty) directs this special September 11 anniversary reading of WTC View, Brian Sloan’s 2003 play about the weeks following 9/11 in Lower Manhattan. The story looks at a gay photographer’s struggle to find community in a time of societal and personal change. “I was just beginning my third year of drama school in New York on 9/11, and I vividly remember how raw we New Yorkers still were when we premiered the play in 2003,” said Urie. “Now Brian’s beautiful play is a time capsule of those weeks following 9/11, when we were all babies in a new world and the interactions we had with strangers were so intimate and heartfelt.”
Spotlight Arts Festival
Sunday, Sept. 13, 2 to 5 p.m. Bank of America Performing Arts Center 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Eventbrite
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The first-ever Spotlight Arts festival in Thousand Oaks brings together local artists, performers, and community organizations for a free afternoon of art, music, creativity, and connection. The festival will feature 15-minute live performances from a range of local groups, artist booths, hands-on activities, live painting, and more.
Maria Koutsogiannis in Conversation with Gaby Dalkin
Saturday, Sept. 12, 11 a.m. Now Serving 727 N. Broadway, #133, Chinatown COST: FROM $11.49; MORE INFO
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Eventbrite
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Didn’t get to the Greek Islands this summer? No problem. Greek chef, author, and Instagram favorite Maria Koutsogiannis is bringing Greece to us as her debut cookbook, Greek Out, launches at Now Serving. The book features more than 120 Greek-inspired recipes alongside personal stories rooted in family, culture and tradition. She’ll be in conversation with Gaby Dalkin at Now Serving.
Come as You Are: The Musical
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m. The Ripped Bodice 3806 Main St., Culver City COST: $22.58, MORE INFO
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Eventbrite
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Emily Nagoski, PhD has the answers to all the things you were afraid to ask about sex – and now you can sing along. The New York Times best-selling author of Come As You Are and Come Together has packed her ukulele for a fun night of music and sex talk (what could be better?) at the best romance book store around, Culver City’s The Ripped Bodice.
Postcode Ukraine: Diary of a Volunteer
Sept. 11-30 Westwood Contemporary 1101 Westwood Blvd., Westwood Village COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Postcode Ukraine
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postcodeukraine.com
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As we head into a fifth year of war in Ukraine, the Wende Museum’s Westwood Contemporary is highlighting the work of British photographer Mark Neville, who has been documenting the lives of everyday Ukrainians through his expansive project, Postcode Ukraine. Postcode Ukraine: Diary of a Volunteer is here through the end of the month, ahead of a larger international tour.
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By Christopher Weber and Amy Taxin | Associated Press
Published September 8, 2026 5:09 PM
Emergency vehicles repond to the chemical leak in LA Habra on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.
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Jae C. Hong
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Associated Press
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Topline:
A slow leak from a chemical tank smeared an orange cloud across the sky of a Southern California neighborhood on Tuesday, but authorities said they quickly got it under control.
Why it matters: Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Aaron Katon said authorities responded to a La Habra business that makes cleaning products after receiving a call shortly before noon about the cloud. Police evacuated a nearby middle school as a precaution, Katon said.
The chemical: They do not yet know what the chemical was, but all shelter-in-place orders have been lifted, Katon said.
What's next: The regional air quality management district has deployed staff to the area to investigate, said Connie Villanueva, a spokesperson for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
A slow leak from a chemical tank smeared an orange cloud across the sky of a Southern California neighborhood on Tuesday, but authorities said they quickly got it under control.
Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Aaron Katon said authorities responded to a business that makes cleaning products after receiving a call shortly before noon about the cloud. Police evacuated a nearby middle school as a precaution, Katon said.
They do not yet know what the chemical was, but all shelter-in-place orders have been lifted, he said. The regional air quality management district has deployed staff to the area to investigate, said Connie Villanueva, a spokesperson for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The company, Shepard Bros., could not immediately be reached for comment.
Three company employees reported minor respiratory irritation and declined further treatment, Katon said.
The leak occurred in the city of La Habra near a mix of residential neighborhoods and industrial warehouses about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Anaheim.
Keary Godinez, who works in a nearby restaurant, said she saw what appeared to be a dark yellow cloud spread across the sky. The 20-year-old said she watched students across the street board buses to evacuate, but police told her the eatery could remain open.
“It looked like pollen dust,” Godinez said, adding she didn’t detect a smell from the cloud. “It just kind of smeared in the sky and started going away.”
La Habra Mayor Jose Medrano had urged residents to shelter in place and said some streets were being evacuated.
Luis Gomez, who manages a nearby pickleball program, said earlier Tuesday he saw the cloud, called police and was told anyone within a mile radius of the location was under an evacuation order.
Lakers head coach Phil Jackson celebrates after defeating the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals.
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Christian Petersen
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Getty Images North America
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Topline:
The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Phil Jackson outside their downtown arena next year. The Lakers announced the plan Tuesday to honor Jackson, who led the Lakers to five championships and seven NBA Finals appearances during two stints totaling 11 seasons as their head coach.
The backstory: After his famed tenure leading Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to six championships, Jackson joined the Lakers in 1999 and immediately began another era of major success for the 17-time NBA champion franchise. His first three teams in Los Angeles won championships behind the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and the Lakers added two more titles in 2009 and 2010 led by Bryant and Pau Gasol. His Lakers also made the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2008.
What's next: The statue will be unveiled April 9 before the Lakers’ home game against Minnesota.
The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Phil Jackson outside their downtown arena next year.
The Lakers announced the plan Tuesday to honor Jackson, who led the Lakers to five championships and seven NBA Finals appearances during two stints totaling 11 seasons as their head coach.
The statue will be unveiled April 9 before the Lakers’ home game against Minnesota.
After his famed tenure leading Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to six championships, Jackson joined the Lakers in 1999 and immediately began another era of major success for the 17-time NBA champion franchise.
His first three teams in Los Angeles won championships behind the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and the Lakers added two more titles in 2009 and 2010 led by Bryant and Pau Gasol. His Lakers also made the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2008.
Jackson set the Lakers franchise record for coaches with 610 victories while leading his teams to the playoffs in every year of his tenure, which ended in 2011.
“Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game. After he accepted my dad’s invitation to join the Lakers, Phil’s unmatched creativity and commitment to excellence restored our championship legacy, bringing five titles and setting a standard of excellence for generations to come. It is a great joy to be able to mark that achievement with the statue he so richly deserves.”
Jackson will be the ninth person associated with the Lakers to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza outside their arena. He joins Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Bryant, O’Neal, broadcaster Chick Hearn and former coach Pat Riley, whose statue was unveiled earlier this year.
Jackson’s 11 championships as a head coach are the most in NBA history. The North Dakota native and former New York Knicks forward is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
