New research reveals supersonic turbulence may explain why traces of the earliest stars are so elusive

A groundbreaking study suggests the first stars in the universe were much smaller than previously believed, formed in turbulent cosmic clouds. This could explain the absence of chemical traces and reshape our understanding of star formation.

New Clues to an Ancient Cosmic Mystery


Astronomers have long puzzled over why the first stars in the universe left so few chemical traces behind. A new study now offers an intriguing answer: these primordial stars may have been significantly smaller than once assumed.

The research, led by Ke-Jung Chen of the Institute of Astronomy at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Taiwan, indicates that the first stars were born in a chaotic, high-speed environment. Rather than forming as isolated giants, they likely emerged in clusters, their masses far less than earlier models suggested.

Supersonic Turbulence and Star Formation


According to the study, the earliest stars were born within vast clouds of gas, where supersonic turbulence roared at five times the speed of sound in Earth’s atmosphere. Computer simulations revealed that this violent turbulence caused the gas clouds to fragment into smaller clumps. From these clumps, multiple stars formed—one of which was calculated to be eight times smaller than the previously assumed 100 solar masses.

This finding challenges the traditional view that the universe’s first stars were enormous solitary beacons. Instead, they were part of densely packed stellar nurseries shaped by extreme cosmic forces.

Why Traces of the First Stars Are So Hard to Find


Massive stars were once thought to dominate the early universe, their explosive deaths as supernovae scattering chemical elements that would later be incorporated into younger stars. However, astronomers have struggled to find evidence of these chemical “fingerprints” in today’s stellar populations.

The new study suggests the reason may be simple: there were fewer massive stars to begin with. Smaller stars would have left fewer detectable chemical remnants, explaining the scarcity of clues to their existence.

Cutting-Edge Simulations and Observations


The research team used advanced tools such as the Gizmo simulation and the IllustrisTNG project to model conditions inside a “minihalo”—a gravitational structure with a mass ten million times greater than the Sun. As gas was pulled into the minihalo, supersonic turbulence and gas accretion shaped the star-forming environment, limiting the growth of massive stars.

These findings come at a pivotal time. With the James Webb Space Telescope now offering unprecedented views of the early universe, astronomers are poised to test these models and refine our understanding of the “cosmic dawn”—the period when the first stars and galaxies emerged.

Looking Ahead: The Role of Magnetic Fields


Chen’s team plans to expand their research by factoring in magnetic fields, which recent studies show can also influence star formation. By doing so, they hope to build an even more complete picture of the earliest moments in cosmic history.

A New Picture of the Universe’s First Light

Smaller Stars, Greater Insight
This new perspective on the first stars suggests that the early universe may have been filled with smaller, clustered stars rather than isolated giants. Not only does this help solve the mystery of missing chemical traces, but it also reshapes our understanding of how galaxies—including our own—came into being. As next-generation telescopes probe deeper into space and time, the secrets of the universe’s first light may soon be within reach.