* Star Formation Problems: Real Science Radio hosts Bob Enyart and Fred Williams discuss the problems with star formation and the laws of physics that collapse the theory... but not the nebula! [This series will continue in late March and our written list below will be modified too so we invite you to check back later!] Standard Models Start Late: The models for star formation begin, amazingly, with the explosion of preexisting stars (e.g., "When these forces fall out of balance, such as due to a supernova shock wave, the cloud begins to collapse") or, as with the classic study by Larson which assumed a starting point where the hypothetical condensation was already well under way. Analytical calculations and computer simulators do not show that star formation is possible based upon the known laws of physics. Star Rotation: The "angular momentum problem" as Larsen calls it (2003, The physics of star formation), recognizes that the rotation rates of the potential star-forming nebulae are a thousand times greater than could possibly be contained in a star (without it flying apart). As a spinning nebula condensed, its spin would be conserved, like a figure skater pulling in her arms, so that the rotation rate of a star would be wildly fast beyond anything known in the universe. Condensing Nebula: Condensing a gas cloud, like the Eagle Nebula, would increase pressure and temperature, which would then expand the cloud, because the weak force of gravity is easily overpowered by the cloud's pressure, as well as its angular momentum. Further, the cloud would have to be more massive than an average star yet orders of magnitude smaller than any known nebulae. Magnetic Strength: The journal Science published what amounts to a parallel of the angular momentum problem,  "Interstellar clouds are permeated by magnetic fields that we believe to be effectively frozen to the contracting gas; as the gas cloud collapses to form a star, the magnetic field lines should be compressed ever closer together, giving rise to enormous magnetic fields, long before the collapse is completed. These fields would resist further collapse, preventing the formation of the expected star; yet we observe no evidence of strong fields, and the stars [allegedly] do form, apparently unaware of our theoretical difficulties." Dark Matter to the Rescue (Again): If gravity working on matter were sufficient to explain star formation, scientists would not be pinning their hope on dark matter. As explained in 2007 by a Reuters science correspondent Dark matter key to formation of first stars, "As the universe initially was only helium and hydrogen, dark matter was critical in providing the gravitational force to pull these elements together to form stars. Now that there are other objects in the galaxy [including pre-existing exploding stars], dark matter is not needed to form stars." Then again in 2014 a Nature paper on the formation of the first stars and galaxies was described by Caltech's Richard Ellis, "Now we can get to grips with how stars and galaxies form and relate it to dark matter. You can make stars and galaxies that look like the real thing. But it is the dark matter that is calling the shots." As a theory rescue device, dark matter is rather flexible!  Population III: The BB predicts that the "first generation" of stars stars, referred to as Population III stars, would have been comprised only of hydrogen and helium (without metals, i.e., heavy elements) and that they should still be plentiful. Yet even though many millions of stars have been studied and cataloged, not even one Population III star has been found. "Astronomers have never seen a pure Population III star, despite years of combing our Milky Way galaxy."  -Science Jan. 4, 2002, p. 66 (see this reference and many more). Recently this problem was defined away by claiming that the smallest Pop III stars would have been a thousand times more massive than previously claimed and so would more rapidly expend