Hosted by Rob Sparks. Description: The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) at Kitt Peak National Observatory has been collecting spectra of millions of galaxies to better understand dark energy, the mysterious force that is causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. The DESI collaboration recently released results based on the first three years of data that indicate dark energy is not a constant force. In this podcast, NOIRLab's Joan Najita discusses DESI and its groundbreaking results. Bios: Rob Sparks is in the Communications, Education and Engagement group at NSF's NOIRLab in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Joan Najita is an astronomer at NOIRLab, NSF's research and development center for ground-based optical and infrared astronomy. She studies the origins of stars and planets and the life histories of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. A long-time advocate for "highly multiplexed spectroscopy" (i.e., facilities like DESI), she also studies how discoveries are made in astronomy, and works to develop new tools and facilities that sustain discovery. Links: NORLab Press Release: https://noirlab.edu/public/news/noirlab2512/ DESI's public webpage: https://www.desi.lbl.gov/ - DESI's YouTube channel, which features playlists of DESI talks from the March 2025 APS meeting and additional talks showcasing the BAO results: https://www.youtube.com/@DESISurvey - Access the DESI data release through Astro Data Lab https://datalab.noirlab.edu/desi/index.php NOIRLab social media channels can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/NOIRLabAstro https://twitter.com/NOIRLabAstro https://www.instagram.com/noirlabastro/ https://www.youtube.com/noirlabastro We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at [email protected].

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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