'James Webb finds it, ALMA confirms it': galaxy with oxygen challenges Big Bang models

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

Oxygen Detected

[{"selector":"#anim-274e390b-64d9-4620-8761-8ca795f0d258 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-17.08917070316507%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Astronomers found oxygen in galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0, the farthest ever seen, 13.4 billion light-years away.

Galactic Timewarp

[{"selector":"#anim-df852a63-83ee-4a95-9735-84ef56e330cb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(25.62788939748817%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] We see this galaxy as it was when the universe was just 300 million years old—only 2% of its current age.

Surprising Maturity

[{"selector":"#anim-b402584b-3587-4a6a-be57-f86a8271c507 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-42.72141485268402%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] JADES-GS-z14-0 isn’t a baby galaxy—it’s chemically mature, suggesting rapid stellar evolution.

Elemental Clues

[{"selector":"#anim-09e7428d-7cfe-4946-9d9f-2fd08c7f6b84 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(22.006835767638563%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Oxygen is forged in stars. Its presence here reveals that early galaxies evolved far faster than expected.

Record Precision

[{"selector":"#anim-6b4064e2-6b71-4342-a18c-300ba8290eff [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] ALMA pinned the galaxy’s distance with shocking accuracy—down to just 0.005% uncertainty.

Double Discovery

[{"selector":"#anim-5df380eb-64a2-4a9a-bdb9-0d077b21a4b9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-16.894203709729837%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Two teams independently confirmed the oxygen using ALMA, reinforcing the galaxy’s surprising profile.

JWST + ALMA

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Big Bang Rethink

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Cosmic Acceleration

[{"selector":"#anim-5814d55e-ff85-48b1-9dc7-6b0d71c79177 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] JADES-GS-z14-0 may prove that the infant universe matured galaxies at breakneck speed. Representative pic

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