Broadcast Outage: We're investigating a broadcast transmission failure affecting the San Luis Valley from Antonito in the south to Salida in the north. We're working to resolve this issue. You can stream our live broadcast HERE or via the RMPBS+ App.

Stream live and on-demand content now on our new app:
RMPBS+

Help tell more stories in 2026 - make a year-end gift!

Give Now
Be Smart show's poster
Science and Nature
Be Smart

Measuring the Universe With a 14-Billion Light-Year Ruler

Join Joe Hanson as he explores curiosity and illuminates the science behind… well, everything.

Measuring the Universe With a 14-Billion Light-Year Ruler

Season 12 Episode 4 | 10m 40s | CC

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, scientists have been constructing a cosmic measuring tape to measure the universe from our own backyard all the way to its ever-expanding edge: the cosmic distance ladder. In this video, we climb that ladder and explore how each rung has revealed something new and previously unthinkable about the universe we live in.

Be Smart

Watch more episodes

See more
See more

Subscribe to Our Newsletters

Get trusted Colorado stories, programs, and events from Rocky Mountain PBS straight to your inbox.

Set Your Preferences >