Webb telescope uncovers 'red monsters' reshaping cosmic history
The James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery that fundamentally changes our understanding of the early universe. Scientists have identified "red monsters"—massive, star-rich galaxies that formed much faster than earlier models predicted.
A study published in Nature magazine suggests that the first galaxies formed stars at rates far exceeding previous assumptions, opening a new chapter in cosmic exploration.
Since its launch, the James Webb Telescope has revealed that the young universe is 10 to 100 times richer in galaxies than scientists had assumed. Even more surprisingly, some of these galaxies are larger and more structured than expected.
Initially, researchers even thought they had encountered "impossible" galaxies — objects so massive that their formation would require more matter than was available at the time. Reanalysis of the data showed, however, that these galaxies are closer than originally estimated, making them less massive than feared.
Extraordinary star formation efficiency
As part of the Fresco program conducted by JWST, astronomers examined 36 massive galaxies, among which they identified three exceptional objects named "red monsters." These galaxies stand out for their unprecedented efficiency — transforming almost 50 percent of available matter into stars, a rate 500 times higher than that of the Milky Way. This discovery completely changes our perception of processes occurring in the early universe.
Mengyuan Xiao, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva and the study's lead author, emphasizes that these findings point to the unprecedented efficiency of star formation by early galaxies. According to scientists, the "red monsters" are just the beginning of a new era in our exploration of the early universe, and they may lead to further groundbreaking discoveries.
Although discovering these extraordinary cosmic objects is fascinating, it raises fundamental questions regarding the mechanisms responsible for their rapid growth. David Elbaz, an astrophysicist at CEA and a study's co-author, suggests that these objects may be located in densely populated regions of the universe, potentially serving as precursors to the galaxy clusters we observe in later epochs.
Possible explanations for the extraordinary phenomenon
Scientists propose several theories that could explain this extraordinary phenomenon. One possibility is more efficient gas delivery by cosmic filaments — vast structures of matter connecting galaxies that might have been more effective in transporting gas to these galaxies in the past. These filaments could have acted as cosmic highways, delivering building material to star-forming regions.
Another potential explanation is the influence of supermassive black holes. These hyperactive objects, already familiar in such early epochs, could have compressed surrounding matter, accelerating the star formation process. Intense radiation and powerful gravitational fields could have created ideal conditions for the rapid growth of galaxies.
Despite these hypotheses, David Elbaz admits that current models can still not fully recreate a universe so structured at such an early stage. Astronomers will need more observations and advanced simulations to unravel this mystery and refine existing theoretical models. The James Webb Telescope will continue its observations, providing scientists with increasingly precise data on the earliest stages of cosmic evolution.
