Latest news with #SanderSchouws
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Universe grew ‘much faster than expected' after Big Bang, astronomers say
Astronomers have said the Universe may have developed 'much faster than was expected' after oxygen was found in the most distant known galaxy. Scientists working with the Alma telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert said they were 'astonished' by the detection of oxygen in Jades-GS-z14-0, the most distant confirmed galaxy ever found, as it suggests galaxies formed more rapidly after the Big Bang than previously thought. The light from Jades-GS-z14-0, which was discovered last year by scientists using Nasa's James Webb Space Telescope, took 13.4 billion years to reach Earth. This means observers see it as it was when the Universe was less than 300 million years old, about 2% of its present age, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) said. Researchers previously believed that a 300-million-year-old Universe was still too young to have galaxies full of heavy elements such as oxygen, as these only disperse through galaxies after the death of stars inside them. 'It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies,' said Sander Schouws, a PhD candidate at Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands. 'The results show the galaxy has formed very rapidly and is also maturing rapidly, adding to a growing body of evidence that the formation of galaxies happens much faster than was expected.' Stefano Carniani, of the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa in Italy, said: 'I was astonished by the unexpected results because they opened a new view on the first phases of galaxy evolution'. 'The evidence that a galaxy is already mature in the infant Universe raises questions about when and how galaxies formed.' Galaxies usually start their lives full of young stars, which are made mostly of light elements like hydrogen and helium, ESO said. As stars evolve, they create heavier elements like oxygen, which get dispersed through their host galaxy after they die. But two different teams of astronomers found Jades-GS-z14-0 to contain about 10 times more heavy elements than expected. The 'record-breaking' oxygen detection has also allowed astronomers to make their distance measurements to Jades-GS-z14-0 much more accurate, ESO added. Eleonora Parlanti, a PhD student at the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, said: 'The Alma detection offers an extraordinarily precise measurement of the galaxy's distance down to an uncertainty of just 0.005%. 'This level of precision, analogous to being accurate within 5cm over a distance of 1km, helps refine our understanding of distant galaxy properties.' Gergo Popping, an ESO astronomer at the European Alma Regional Centre who did not take part in the studies, said: 'I was really surprised by this clear detection of oxygen in Jades-GS-z14-0. 'It suggests galaxies can form more rapidly after the Big Bang than had previously been thought. 'This result showcases the important role Alma plays in unravelling the conditions under which the first galaxies in our Universe formed.' The two studies, one led by the Netherland's Leiden Observatory and the other by the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, were based on results from the Alma telescope (Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array), and carried out in partnership with ESO.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Oxygen was just found in a distant galaxy — and it may provide answers on how ours developed
Scientists have announced the surprising discovery of oxygen and other heavy metals in the most distant known galaxy. The galaxy, which is known as JADES-GS-z14-0, is 13.4 billion light years away from Earth. It was just found last year using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. "I was really surprised by this clear detection of oxygen in JADES-GS-z14-0,' Gergö Popping, an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory's European ALMA Regional Centre who did not take part in the research, said in a statement. 'It suggests galaxies can form more rapidly after the Big Bang than had previously been thought.' The finding was made in two separate studies conducted by two different teams of astronomers. It has allowed scientists to improve distance measurements to the galaxy. They used the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array: a group of dozens of radio telescopes in the Chilean desert and the largest astronomical project in existence. The images show the galaxy as it was when the universe was less than 300 million years old, just about 2 percent of its current age, the researchers noted. Finding oxygen there tells astronomers that the galaxy is much more chemically mature than expected. Researchers had thought that at its age it was still too young to have galaxies ripe with heavy elements. But it has about 10 times more heavy elements than they had estimated. Galaxies usually start their lives full of young stars, which are made mostly of lighter elements, including hydrogen and helium. As they evolve, the stars create heavier elements that are sent out through their host galaxy after they die. 'It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies,' said Sander Schouws, the first author of the study now accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. 'The results show the galaxy has formed very rapidly and is also maturing rapidly, adding to a growing body of evidence that the formation of galaxies happens much faster than was expected." 'I was astonished by the unexpected results because they opened a new view on the first phases of galaxy evolution,' said Stefano Carniani of the Scuola Normale Superiore, the lead author of the second paper now accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. 'The evidence that a galaxy is already mature in the infant universe raises questions about when and how galaxies formed.'
The Independent
21-03-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Oxygen was just found in a distant galaxy — and it may provide answers on how ours developed
Scientists have announced the surprising discovery of oxygen and other heavy metals in the most distant known galaxy. The galaxy, which is known as JADES-GS-z14-0, is 13.4 billion light years away from Earth. It was just found last year using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. "I was really surprised by this clear detection of oxygen in JADES-GS-z14-0,' Gergö Popping, an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory's European ALMA Regional Centre who did not take part in the research, said in a statement. 'It suggests galaxies can form more rapidly after the Big Bang than had previously been thought.' The finding was made in two separate studies conducted by two different teams of astronomers. It has allowed scientists to improve distance measurements to the galaxy. They used the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array: a group of dozens of radio telescopes in the Chilean desert and the largest astronomical project in existence. The images show the galaxy as it was when the universe was less than 300 million years old, just about 2 percent of its current age, the researchers noted. Finding oxygen there tells astronomers that the galaxy is much more chemically mature than expected. Researchers had thought that at its age it was still too young to have galaxies ripe with heavy elements. But it has about 10 times more heavy elements than they had estimated. Galaxies usually start their lives full of young stars, which are made mostly of lighter elements, including hydrogen and helium. As they evolve, the stars create heavier elements that are sent out through their host galaxy after they die. 'It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies,' said Sander Schouws, the first author of the study now accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. 'The results show the galaxy has formed very rapidly and is also maturing rapidly, adding to a growing body of evidence that the formation of galaxies happens much faster than was expected." 'I was astonished by the unexpected results because they opened a new view on the first phases of galaxy evolution,' said Stefano Carniani of the Scuola Normale Superiore, the lead author of the second paper now accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. 'The evidence that a galaxy is already mature in the infant universe raises questions about when and how galaxies formed.'
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Oxygen discovered in most distant galaxy ever seen: 'It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astronomers have found oxygen in the farthest, and thus the earliest, galaxy ever seen. This marks the most distant detection of oxygen ever made by humanity. This early galaxy, designated JADES-GS-z14-0, has 10 times the amount of heavy elements that would be expected in a galaxy that existed just 300 million years after the Big Bang. The findings indicate that this galaxy was already mature in the early universe, challenging theories of galactic evolution. JADES-GS-z14-0 was discovered in 2024 by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST); its light had taken about 13.4 billion years to travel to us, equivalent to around 98% of the 13.8 billion-year-old universe's lifetime. The newly unearthed chemical composition of JADES-GS-z14-0 came courtesy of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). "It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies," team member and Leiden Observatory researcher Sander Schouws said in a statement. "The results show the galaxy has formed very rapidly and is also maturing rapidly, adding to a growing body of evidence that the formation of galaxies happens much faster than was expected." JADES-GS-z14-0 was spotted alongside several other similarly early galaxies as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program. This project aims to provide vital insights into how stars, gas and black holes evolved within primordial galaxies when the 13.8 billion-year-old universe was very young. To understand why it is so surprising for heavy elements to be discovered in an early galaxy like JADES-GS-z14-0, it is necessary to consider the chemical composition of the infant universe. When the universe was 2% of its current age, scientists think it was filled predominantly with hydrogen, the lightest element in the cosmos, some helium, and a tiny smattering of heavier elements, which astronomers somewhat confusingly call "metals." This means stars and galaxies seen during this period should be correspondingly "metal-poor." As these first stars died and exploded in supernova explosions, the metals they had forged during their lives were dispersed, enriching the gas clouds within their home galaxies. These clouds eventually formed the next generation of stars, which were therefore more metal-rich. That means the older a galaxy gets, the more its "maturity" can be measured based on the abundance of metals it holds. And, seen at 300 million years into the life of the cosmos, JADES-GS-z14-0 should be metal-poor and "immature" — yet it appears to be mature. 'I was astonished by the unexpected results because they opened a new view on the first phases of galaxy evolution," team member Stefano Carniani of the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, Italy, said in the statement. "The evidence that a galaxy is already mature in the infant universe raises questions about when and how galaxies formed." The detection of oxygen in this early galaxy has also allowed astronomers to measure the distance to JADES-GS-z14-0 more precisely. "The ALMA detection offers an extraordinarily precise measurement of the galaxy's distance down to an uncertainty of just 0.005%," team member Eleonora Parlanti of the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, Italy, said. "This level of precision — analogous to being accurate within 5 cm over a distance of 0.62 miles [1 kilometer] — helps refine our understanding of distant galaxy properties." While it took the JWST to discover this incredibly distant galaxy, the precise measurement of its distance from Earth wouldn't have been possible without ALMA."This shows the amazing synergy between ALMA and JWST to reveal the formation and evolution of the first galaxies," team member and Leiden Observatory astronomer Rychard Bouwens said in the statement Related stories: — James Webb Space Telescope spies record-breaking 'failed star' that shouldn't exist (video) — James Webb Space Telescope spots the most distant galaxy ever seen (image) — 'Failed star' is the coldest radio wave source ever discovered Gergö Popping is an astronomer at the European ALMA Regional Center who was not involved in this research. "I was really surprised by this clear detection of oxygen in JADES-GS-z14-0," he said. "It suggests galaxies can form more rapidly after the Big Bang than had previously been thought. "This result showcases the important role ALMA plays in unraveling the conditions under which the first galaxies in our universe formed." The team's research has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal.
CNN
20-03-2025
- Science
- CNN
Oxygen detected in the most distant galaxy ever found
Summary Astronomers have discovered oxygen and heavy metals in galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0, the most distant galaxy ever found at 13.4 billion light-years away. The presence of these elements suggests galaxies formed much faster than expected in the early universe. Researchers described the unexpectedly mature galaxy as "like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies," according to study author Sander Schouws. The galaxy appears unusually large and bright and contains 10 times more heavy elements than expected. Scientists are using both the James Webb Space Telescope and ALMA observatory to investigate whether the galaxy and its rapid evolution are unique. Astronomers have made the surprising discovery of oxygen and elements like heavy metals in the most distant known galaxy. The galaxy is 13.4 billion light-years away, meaning it formed in the early days of the universe. Astronomers believe the big bang created the universe 13.8 billion years ago. The unusually large, luminous distant galaxy, called JADES-GS-z14-0, was initially detected in January 2024 using the James Webb Space Telescope, which observes the universe in infrared light that's invisible to the human eye. The space observatory can effectively peer back in time to the beginning of a mysterious era called Cosmic Dawn, or the first few hundred million years after the big bang when the first galaxies were born, because it can observe light that has traveled for billions of years across space to Earth. Light from JADES-GS-z14-0 has taken 13.4 billion years to reach our corner of the universe, so Webb and other observatories such as ALMA, or the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile's Atacama Desert, are seeing the galaxy as it was when the universe was only about 300 million years old. When astronomers used ALMA to follow up on Webb's initial observations, they were stunned to find the presence of oxygen and heavy metals because their presence suggests that galaxies formed more quickly than expected in the early days of the universe. The results of the ALMA detections were published Thursday in separate studies in The Astrophysical Journal and Astronomy & Astrophysics. 'It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies,' said Sander Schouws, lead author of The Astrophysical Journal study and a doctoral candidate at Leiden Observatory at Leiden University in the Netherlands, in a statement. 'The results show the galaxy has formed very rapidly and is also maturing rapidly, adding to a growing body of evidence that the formation of galaxies happens much faster than was expected.' The fact that JADES-GS-z14-0 was laden with heavy elements is causing astronomers to question what some of the earliest galaxies were really like — as well as how many more they may find using Webb and ALMA. A bright light leads to a surprise Multiple aspects of JADES-GS-z14-0, including its large size and brightness, have proved to be unexpected. As Webb surveyed 700 distant galaxies, this one turned out to be the third brightest despite it being the farthest, Schouws said. But the oldest galaxies are expected to be smaller and dimmer because the universe was much smaller at the time. 'In general, galaxies this early in the universe are very different from the famous galaxies we know from the beautiful images of Hubble and JWST,' Schouws said in an email. 'They are a lot more compact, rich in gas and messy/disordered. The conditions are more extreme because a lot of stars are forming rapidly in a small volume.' Galaxies typically begin from huge gas clouds that collapse and rotate, filling with young stars that are largely made of light elements such as helium and hydrogen. As stars evolve over time, they create heavier elements such as oxygen and metals, which disperse throughout the galaxy as stars explode at the end of their lifetime. In turn, the elements released by dying stars lead to the formation of more stars as well as the planets that orbit them. But nothing about JADES-GS-z14-0 fits that model. Instead, the galaxy contains 10 times more heavy elements than expected, the study authors said. 'Such elements are produced by massive stars and the large amount of oxygen suggests that several generations of massive stars were already born and died,' said Carniani, assistant professor at the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, Italy, and lead author of the Astronomy & Astrophysics study, in a statement. 'In conclusion (JADES-GS-z14-0) is more mature than expected and these results imply that the first generation of galaxies assembled their mass very quickly.' Going the distance Using ALMA also enabled the researchers to confirm the distance of the galaxy, originally measured using Webb, and refine their measurements. Together, both telescopes can be used to study the formation and evolution of the first galaxies, said Rychard Bouwens, associate professor at Leiden University and coauthor of the study in The Astrophysical Journal. 'I was really surprised by this clear detection of oxygen in JADES-GS-z14-0,' said Gergö Popping, a European Southern Observatory astronomer at the European ALMA Regional Centre, in a statement. Popping did not participate in either study. 'It suggests galaxies can form more rapidly after the Big Bang than had previously been thought. This result showcases the important role ALMA plays in unraveling the conditions under which the first galaxies in our Universe formed.' While Webb can help identify extremely distant galaxies, ALMA can zoom in to study the gas and dust within them by detecting the far-infrared light they emit, Carniani said. Studying such galaxies can help shed light on the many remaining mysteries of Cosmic Dawn, such as what occurred shortly after the universe first began and the identities of the first celestial objects to appear. The study authors believe the early galaxies may have formed more stars, and stars on a more massive scale, than expected, which would also affect the brightness of the galaxy overall. 'It's like burning candles: you can have candles with a wide wick that have a bright flame (massive stars) or you can have candles that burn slow and efficient (normal stars),' Schouws said. But more observations are needed to understand exactly what the researchers are seeing, he said. The team wants to determine whether the galaxy and its rapid evolution are truly unique, or if there are more like it in the early universe since a single celestial object is not enough to establish a new model of galaxy formation, Carniani said.
