How did 1st stars form? Research challenges long-held beliefs
For years, scientists pictured the first stars as massive giants that burned out fast.
But new research in 2025 is shaking up that story—turns out, smaller stars may have formed early on too.
Simulations now show that turbulence in ancient space clouds helped break them into smaller pockets, each with enough molecular hydrogen to spark star birth.
New findings on early star formation
Two teams led by Florian Grussie and Ke-Jung Chen found that special molecules like helium hydride could cool these clouds, making it possible for stars either the same size as the Sun or up to 40 times more massive to form.
This means some of those early, low-mass stars might still be shining today, challenging old ideas about how the universe's first light came to be and opening up new ways to explore our cosmic origins.