Astronomer Charles Steinhardt proposes a new theory on the universe’s star formation, challenging traditional understanding of galaxies. He suggests there’s a third category: red star-forming galaxies, which produce low-mass stars and appear red despite ongoing star birth.
Steinhardt’s research published in The Astrophysical Journal suggests these galaxies might have played a bigger role in the universe’s history. This could change our current understanding of galaxy evolution, processes that shape them, and how we measure star formation throughout the universe’s history.
The new theory addresses inconsistencies with traditional observations, such as black hole mass to stellar mass ratios and initial mass functions. It suggests most stars might have formed under different conditions than previously believed.
Steinhardt also challenges the common understanding of post-starburst galaxies, which suddenly stop making new stars after a short period. He proposes that some may belong to a different category of red star-forming galaxies, requiring a reevaluation of how we define these galaxies.
Future research will focus on advanced tests to further investigate star-forming galaxies. Steinhardt and his students plan to conduct more studies using data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia satellite.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-04-astronomy-professor-theory-universe-star.html