Galaxy-killing wind discovered in the early universe
4 hours ago
- #galaxy-evolution
- #astronomy
- #James-Webb-Space-Telescope
- Astronomers discovered a 'galaxy-killing wind' powered by cosmic collisions, which could explain the abundance of massive 'dead' galaxies in the early universe.
- Using JWST and ALMA, researchers observed galaxy CRISTAL-02, which is forming stars rapidly and ejecting cold gas via powerful winds, potentially leading to its death in under 50 million years.
- The study suggests that nearly half of early massive galaxies interact with others, indicating that collisions and subsequent star-formation bursts followed by winds are a widespread phenomenon.
- This theory offers a simpler explanation for why galaxies in the early universe lived fast and died young, solving a mystery highlighted by JWST observations.