Astronomers discover galaxy-killing wind that explains early universe's dead galaxies
By
Florin Simion @Yonescat
The bagel they save for the regulars. Don't skim, savour.
Summary
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered a 'galaxy-killing wind' in the early universe, powered by cosmic collisions between galaxies. This wind rapidly blows away the gas and dust needed for star formation, potentially explaining why there are far more massive 'dead' galaxies in the early universe than previously expected. The discovery offers a simpler explanation than other theories proposed since JWST's observations began in 2022, helping solve a major mystery in modern astrophysics about why some galaxies stopped forming stars so early in cosmic history.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledAstronomers have discovered a 'galaxy-killing wind' that may explain why there are far more massive 'dead' galaxies than expected in the early universe.
This wind, powered by cosmic collisions of galaxies, could quickly blow away all the fuel for new stars, leaving the galaxy on the brink of death.
The theory is much simpler than some of the other explanations put forward since 2022, when the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) gave us our first clear glimpse of the early universe.
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