Astronomers have made a surprising discovery in the early universe, where they found a galaxy emitting bright hydrogen light that should have been blocked by a thick fog of neutral hydrogen. The James Webb Space Telescope detected this anomaly in a galaxy called JADES-GS-z13-1, which existed just 330 million years after the Big Bang.
The early universe was filled with a dense fog of neutral hydrogen, making it difficult for light to travel through space. However, researchers were shocked to find that this galaxy’s light pierced the fog, emitting bright hydrogen radiation. This phenomenon is known as Lyman-alpha emission and has great implications for our understanding of the early universe.
The discovery challenges current theories of galaxy formation and reionization. The team led by Joris Witstok from the University of Cambridge used the Webb telescope to observe the galaxy’s light in different infrared filters, confirming its extreme redshift. They also detected a strong Lyman-alpha emission line, which is stronger than expected at this early stage.
The source of the Lyman-alpha radiation remains unknown, but it may include the first light from the earliest generation of stars or a powerful active galactic nucleus driven by one of the first supermassive black holes.
This research has significant implications for our understanding of the universe’s evolution. The discovery highlights the complexity and mystery of the early universe, and scientists are eager to unravel its secrets.
Source: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/news-releases/2025/news-2025-116