Early Discovery: Carbon-Based Molecules Emerge Shortly After Big Bang

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered evidence of carbon-based molecules and dust existing just a billion years after the Big Bang, challenging previous assumptions about the early Universe. The dust observed in the early galaxies studied by JWST appears to consist of graphite or diamond-like grains, similar to those observed in later cosmic history. Astronomers speculate that these diamond-like grains may have come from debris ejected in supernova explosions or from Wolf-Rayet stars, which are known to be efficient dust producers. The discovery provides insights into the earliest stellar populations and the formation of dust in the Universe.