Number 23 (Story #4), February 28, 1991 by Phillip F. Schewe and Ben Stein OLBERS' PARADOX asks why, if the universe contains an infinite number of stars distributed approximately evenly, is the night sky not lit up by starlight coming from all directions. Astronomers have grappled with this issue for some time. The two chief explanations seem to be (a) that light from galaxies is limited by their finite life and the finite speed of light and (b) that the expansion of the universe shifted much of the light coming toward us out to longer wavelengths. Paul S. Wesson of the University of Waterloo in Ontario (519-885-1211) has performed new studies which favor the finite-age argument. Basically the universe is not old enough for light from certain distant stars to have reached us yet. (Science News 23 Feb. 1991.)