"The age of the universe is one of the best-known numbers in all of cosmology” claim leading physicists. 13.7 billion years is the standard answer. And our most cherished theories: the Big Bang, Dark Matter and cosmic inflation all operate within this age and assume a finite beginning. But recent evidence from the James Webb Telescope has led some to question the age of the universe or even if it has an age at all. Moreover, critics argue Einstein’s core idea that time isn't ‘universal’ means assigning a single “age” to the universe is flawed.
Does the age of the universe represent a crisis in cosmology and would an ageless universe upend many of our current cosmological models? Or can we overcome these challenges and determine the age of the universe once and for all? More radically could we abandon the attempt to find a single answer and accept that different cosmological theories have different answers each of which might have value in their particular sphere?