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Cosmic blowtorches: How quasars shut down star formation in the early universe

A team at the University of Arizona discovered exceptionally fast and powerful galactic winds from quasars a billion years after the Big Bang. These winds could have caused galaxies to lose gas supplies, effectively shutting down star formation. The study suggests that quasars with extreme outflows were more common in the early univers...

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateMay 7, 2026

Cosmic predators: How supermassive black holes slow star growth in nearby galaxies

A study using the James Webb Space Telescope found that supermassive black holes can suppress star growth not only in their host galaxy but also in neighboring galaxies within a million-light-year radius. This discovery reveals a larger impact of quasars on galaxy evolution, contradicting previous assumptions.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 16, 2026

‘Messy’ galaxies in the early universe struggled to settle

Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to study young galaxies in the early universe, finding most were turbulent and 'clumpy'. Despite this chaos, galaxy dynamics show a gradual transition towards ordered structures, suggesting that galaxies like our Milky Way formed through frequent mergers and bursts of star formation.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateOct 21, 2025

Dancing dwarf galaxies predict our Milky Way's future

Researchers studied similar spiral galaxies and found they 'dance' with closely located dwarf satellites, potentially revealing the formation and evolution of our galaxy's satellite system. The study aims to refine models of galaxy evolution and cosmic structure, offering new insights into our understanding of the universe.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateAug 10, 2025

Looking deeply into the universe’s past, scientists detect bursts of new stars

Researchers have found that most Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs) are experiencing their first major burst of star formation, revealing crucial insights into galaxy development and the early stages of the universe. The study sheds light on the Milky Way's origin story, providing key information about how galaxies grow and evolve.

SourceRutgers University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateJun 4, 2025

Large and small galaxies may grow in ways more similar than expected

A team of astronomers has obtained detailed images of a small galaxy and its surroundings, revealing features typically associated with larger galaxies. The study found that the mechanisms fueling galaxy growth may be more universal than previously thought, suggesting that even dwarf galaxies can build stellar halos through accretion.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateJan 16, 2025

Galaxies in dense environments tend to be larger, settling one cosmic question and raising others

A new study published in the Astrophysical Journal has found that galaxies in denser environments are up to 25% larger than isolated galaxies. Researchers used a machine learning tool to analyze millions of galaxies and found a clear trend: galaxies with more neighbors are also on average larger.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateAug 14, 2024

New dark matter theory explains two puzzles in astrophysics

A new theory, self-interacting dark matter (SIDM), proposes that dark matter particles interact through a dark force, explaining high-density halos and low-density halos of ultra-diffuse galaxies. SIDM simulates cosmic structure formation with strong dark matter self-interactions, diversifying halo density in central regions.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 6, 2023

Astronomers may have uncovered how galaxies change their shape

Researchers used AI to classify galaxies by their shape, leveraging the EAGLE simulation. The study suggests spiral galaxies lose gas as they merge with other galaxies, transforming into elliptical shapes. The findings bring together various pieces of research, providing a new understanding of galaxy evolution and morphology.

SourceInternational Centre for Radio Astronomy Research·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 16, 2022

Discovering rare red spiral galaxy population from early universe with the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured infrared images of a population of red spiral galaxies at unprecedented resolution, revealing their morphology in detail. These galaxies are among the farthest known spiral galaxies and suggest that such spiral galaxies existed in large numbers in the early universe.

SourceWaseda University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeImaging analysis·DateDec 12, 2022

Dark matter less influential in galaxies in early universe

A team of astronomers found that distant galaxies were dominated by normal matter, with dark matter playing a smaller role. The study used the KMOS and SINFONI instruments to measure galaxy rotation velocities and created an average rotation curve, which also showed a decreasing velocity trend away from the centers of the galaxies.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateMar 15, 2017

Exploding star in NGC 2397

A team of astronomers from Queen's University Belfast have discovered the nature of five supernova precursor stars using Hubble images. The study reveals that stars with masses as low as seven times the mass of the Sun can explode as supernovae, challenging current understanding of massive star collapse.

Hubble reveals ultraviolet galactic ring

The Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a spectacular ultraviolet galactic ring surrounding the spiral galaxy NGC 6782. The bright ring is made up of recently formed hot stars and marks a significant region of ongoing star formation. Astronomers believe that the unique shape of this ring may be linked to the presence of bars in galaxies.