The first generation of stars transformed the universe. Inside their cores, simple hydrogen and helium fused into a rainbow of elements. When these stars died, they exploded and sent these new ...

Astronomers studying how elements heavier than iron were produced in the early Milky Way have identified a distinct series of epochs of galaxy-wide chemical formation. This evolutionary timeline, ...

Not all stars are created equally. Astronomers believe that the first stars to form after the Big Bang were mostly made of ...

When it comes to science, a simple observation can upend everything you think you know, such is the case with one star ...

At just 25, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin applied quantum physics to a treasure trove of astronomical observations to show that stars are mostly hydrogen and helium.

For decades, astronomers have wondered what the very first stars in the universe were like. These stars formed new chemical elements, which enriched the universe and allowed the next generations of ...

A surprising new study reveals that the first stars appeared in a pre-heated universe, challenging earlier ideas about early cosmic conditions.

Some classes of stars create light elements, such as oxygen and silicon; others also craft heavier ones, such as iron and nickel. Once a star dies, it spews out these materials to be incorporated into ...

Astronomers have identified the most pristine star ever observed, located in the Milky Way's halo. This ancient star, with exceptionally low levels of heavy elements, offers a rare glimpse into the ...

A group of galaxies in our cosmic backyard has given astronomers clues about how stars form. A thorough survey using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has observed around 14 million stars in 69 ...

Stellar size and class diversification originates from the initial mass of the molecular cloud from which stars form. The elemental composition of the molecular cloud, specifically the abundance of ...

Chemistry in the first 50 million to 100 million years after the Big Bang may have been more active than we expected. This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication ...