Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have revealed that many early galaxies are far brighter in ultraviolet light than expected.

Scientists now believe the effect is caused by unusually large dust grains created by supernova explosions in the young universe. Unlike the dense dust found in modern galaxies, these primitive particles allow radiation to pass through with minimal attenuation, explaining the galaxies’ intense brightness without requiring exotic physics.

The discovery not only reshapes our understanding of early galaxy evolution, but may also help astronomers detect traces of the universe’s first stars.

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