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The galaxy, named JADES-GS-z14-0, was first identified by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) last year. It is so far away that its light took 13.4 billion years to reach Earth, meaning it existed when the universe was just 300 million years old
For this research, teams of Dutch and Italian astronomers studied JADES-GS-z14-0 using the ALMA radio telescope. (News18 Hindi)
Scientists have detected signs of oxygen in the most distant galaxy ever discovered, challenging existing theories about the evolution of stars in the early universe.
The galaxy, named JADES-GS-z14-0, was first identified by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) last year. It is so far away that its light took 13.4 billion years to reach Earth, meaning it existed when the universe was just 300 million years old.
For this research, teams of Dutch and Italian astronomers studied JADES-GS-z14-0 using the ALMA radio telescope. According to the European Southern Observatory (ESO), they confirmed the presence of oxygen, previously detected by JWST.
The “Cosmic Dawn” period, when this galaxy existed, was expected to contain mainly light elements like hydrogen and helium. However, this discovery reveals that JADES-GS-z14-0 contains 10 times more heavy elements than anticipated.
Scientists Stunned By The Discovery
Sander Schouws, an astronomer at Leiden Observatory, described the finding as “like discovering a teenager where only newborns were expected.” He told AFP, “This galaxy is evolving extremely fast, suggesting that galaxies formed much earlier than we previously believed.” Italian astrophysicist Stefano Carniani called the discovery “incredible,” raising new questions about when and how galaxies were born.
Since the James Webb Space Telescope became operational in 2022, astronomers have found that early-universe galaxies were far brighter and more developed than previously thought. These unexpected discoveries are forcing scientists to reconsider their understanding of the universe’s formation and evolution.