Astronomy current events question: decline of cosmic star formation

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

David Sobral, "'Cosmic GDP' Crashes 97% as Star Formation Slumps," November 6, 2012
http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2187-cosmic-gdp-crashes-97-as-star-formation-slumps

An international team of astronomers using telescopes at three different observatories have measured the continuously declining production rate of stars in the universe from past to present by observing:
(A) metal absorption lines of various stars.
(B) the absence of very old galaxies.
(C) type II supernova explosions each year.
(D) dark matter and dark energy formation.
(E) star-forming galaxies at different distances.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 8 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 39 students