Astronomers have detected oxygen on a distant galaxy for the first time, challenging our understanding of how galaxies formed in the early universe. The discovery was made using powerful telescopes and scientific analysis of light from the galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0.
Located 13.4 billion years away, the galaxy is believed to be one of the oldest known objects in the universe. Initial observations suggested that the universe was too young for galaxies to have formed with heavy elements like oxygen. However, scientists now believe that JADES-GS-z14-0 contains about 10 times more heavy elements than expected.
The detection of oxygen on this galaxy raises questions about the formation of galaxies and how quickly they can form in the early universe. Scientists estimate that JADES-GS-z14-0 formed less than 300 million years after the Big Bang, which is much faster than previously thought.
The discovery was made possible by the use of powerful telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). These instruments allowed scientists to analyze the light spectrum of the galaxy and determine its age and composition.
Source: https://www.courthousenews.com/oxygen-detected-in-farthest-galaxy