Passage Summary: Astronomers used to think some stars were older than the universe itself, which is impossible. A new theory suggests these stars are actually much farther away and brighter than we thought, which supposedly fixes the age contradiction.

Reasoning: Previous data suggested certain stars were older than the universe, but new estimates show these stars are further away and thus brighter than previously believed.

Analysis: The paradox here is the 'impossible scenario' of stars predating the universe. To resolve this, we need to understand how the astronomer's new data—specifically that the stars are farther and brighter—changes the calculation of their age. Look for an answer choice that provides a link between a star's intrinsic brightness and its estimated age. If higher brightness implies a younger age, the conflict disappears.