Alessandro Marconi

Astronomers using the spectroscope aboard JWST have, for the first time, measured the amount of dust around a distant black hole. Dust, like fog, dims its light, but the main surprise is that the black hole fluoresces, revealing the secrets of its rapid growth.

JWST studied three distant galaxies and found tiny, dense gas clumps dominate certain light signals. This makes standard methods underestimate elements like oxygen and nitrogen. New computer models that treat gas more realistically fix these errors, helping us understand galaxy formation.

Near the galaxy GN-z11, seen just 400 million years after the Big Bang, the James Webb Space Telescope spotted a bright spot. It glows with hot helium — such radiation can only come from very massive stars devoid of heavy elements, that is, the first generation. If confirmed, we are seeing for the f