James Webb Space Telescope unveils secrets of early universe over last 3 years

ANKARA

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has unveiled new discoveries about the early universe since its launch on Dec. 25, 2021, offering groundbreaking insights into the cosmos.

Compiled from open sources by Anadolu, JWST’s findings over the past three years span studies on the Solar System, the Milky Way, the first stars and galaxies formed after the Big Bang, exoplanets, and potential signs of life.

Positioned beyond Earth’s atmosphere to avoid light interference, the telescope’s visible and infrared cameras have captured stunning images of the universe’s most distant and ancient regions.

With its exceptional imaging capabilities, JWST discovered the JADES-GS-z14-0 galaxy as it was about 300 million years after the Big Bang, having accumulated a mass equivalent to 400 million Suns in a short period.

Unlike most galaxies, which appear red due to dust absorbing blue light, this galaxy stands out as bright, large, and blue.

Scientists speculate that this could result from massive early stars collapsing without explosions, or supernovae, dispersing dust over vast distances.

Odd chemical makeup in early galaxies

During the universe's earliest stages, only hydrogen, helium, and small amounts of lithium existed.

Elements essential for life, such as calcium and oxygen, were forged within early stars.

Data from JWST’s Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) revealed unusual chemical properties in early galaxies, including higher concentrations of nitrogen, helium, neon, and carbon than those found in the Sun.

These findings expose significant gaps in our understanding of the chemical evolution of stars and galaxies.

Using the gravitational lensing effect of massive galaxy clusters, JWST detected faint, early galaxies that emitted four times more light than expected, highlighting their critical role in ending the universe’s "cosmic dark ages" after the Big Bang.

One extraordinary discovery was the star “Earendel,” twice as hot and a million times brighter than the Sun, dated to just 1 billion years after the Big Bang.
Mysterious red dots in early universe

JWST also captured images of numerous “small red dots” scattered across the early universe.

Initially thought to be massive galaxy clusters, these dots were later identified as hydrogen gas spinning around supermassive black holes at thousands of kilometers per second.

These red dots might also represent intermediate stages of star clusters transforming into galaxy cores, offering valuable insights into the birth of galaxies and supermassive black holes.

In addition to active galaxies, JWST uncovered "galactic corpses" — remnants of intense star formation during the cosmic dawn.

These large, ancient galaxies, formed within 700 million years of the Big Bang, challenge existing galaxy formation models, prompting scientists to rethink theories on the rapid emergence of massive galaxies and the potential role of dark matter.

*Writing by Merve Berker