Space
70 Ancient Dusty Galaxies at the Edge of the Universe Could Rewrite Cosmic History
A massive international collaboration using the James Webb Space Telescope and ALMA has identified 70 dusty galaxies from the universe's first billion years. These ancient objects appear to have formed stars far earlier than current models predict, potentially forcing a fundamental reassessment of how galaxies evolve.
Key Takeaways
- 48 astronomers from 14 countries identified 70 dusty galaxies from the universe's first billion years using JWST and ALMA
- The galaxies show surprising levels of metals and dust, suggesting multiple generations of stars had already lived and died
- They may represent the missing evolutionary link between bright early galaxies and dead quiescent ones
- Current cosmological models did not predict this level of chemical enrichment so early in cosmic history
- The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on February 20, 2026
DE
DT Editorial AI··via space.com