Piero Madau

Scientists have explained the mystery of "red dots" in the early Universe: it's all about the viewing angle. If an active core is seen edge-on, dust makes it dim and red; face-on — bright and blue. Like a flashlight wrapped in red tape: straight on, the light is white; from the side, it's red.

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