Dark stars may unlock the mysteries of the early universe and black holes

In recent years, astronomers have encountered a series of unexplained phenomena thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These include an unexpectedly high number of supermassive black holes, mysterious ‘blue monsters’, and odd ‘little red dots’ that emerged at the dawn of the Universe. None of these objects fit traditional models of cosmological evolution, and their existence calls into question many of the established ideas about how the first structures in the Universe formed.

The scientific community has been left puzzled: standard models cannot account for such rapid emergence of giant black holes and unusual galaxies. However, a group of researchers has put forward a bold hypothesis—perhaps the key lies in the existence of so-called dark stars. According to calculations, these objects could have formed before the first ordinary stars and played a crucial role in shaping the cosmic landscape.

Unusual discoveries

Since beginning its mission in 2022, JWST has completely transformed our understanding of the early Universe. The telescope has uncovered an entire population of supermassive black holes that existed less than a billion years after the Big Bang. According to classic theories, such objects should have formed much more slowly—by merging smaller black holes left behind after the death of massive stars. But observations revealed that black holes with masses billions of times that of our Sun were already present when the Universe was still very young.

Another puzzle is the so-called ‘blue monsters.’ These are extremely bright, compact, and dense galaxies that are almost entirely dust-free. No existing models of galaxy formation predicted their existence. Astronomers have had to admit: either our understanding of early cosmic evolution is flawed, or we are witnessing something entirely new.

Dark stars: the hypothesis

Dark stars are not just a poetic image, but a real physical concept. Unlike ordinary stars, which generate energy in their cores through nuclear fusion, these objects, according to calculations, were powered by the annihilation of dark matter particles. Despite their name, such stars would have been incredibly bright—their luminosity could have outshone even the most massive conventional stars.

Researchers believe dark stars could have appeared in an era when ordinary stars did not yet exist. They formed in regions with a high concentration of dark matter. When the supply of dark matter was depleted, dark stars collapsed, forming giant black holes that became the ‘seeds’ for future supermassive objects. This mechanism helps explain why such massive black holes appeared so early—much earlier than is possible under standard scenarios.

Blue monsters and red dots

According to a new theory, these “blue monsters” are not galaxies in the usual sense. They may be solitary dark stars so luminous that they are mistaken for clusters of billions of ordinary stars. Their compactness and lack of dust also fit within the framework of the dark star hypothesis.

The “little red dots” are no less intriguing. Although much dimmer than the blue monsters, these objects surprise scientists with their density. If we consider them galaxies, their stellar density would be virtually impossible. Moreover, they barely emit ultraviolet radiation and are not visible at all in the X-ray spectrum. Researchers believe they could be black holes left behind after the collapse of dark stars, surrounded by remnants of stellar material. Such a shell could partially absorb ultraviolet and completely block X-ray radiation—an effect not explained by typical dust in galaxies.

A challenge for science

For now, dark stars remain a purely theoretical construct. Still, the first hints of their existence are already emerging in observational data. If confirmed, this hypothesis would spark a true revolution in astrophysics: a single idea could solve three mysteries that scientists encountered at the dawn of exploring the Universe with new technologies.

The authors emphasize that none of the existing models can so elegantly reconcile these disparate anomalies into a single picture. Dark stars are not just an exotic curiosity—they may hold the key to understanding how the first structures in the Universe formed and why we observe the cosmos as we do today.

The Future of Research

In the coming years, astronomers plan to harness the power of JWST and other advanced instruments to search for new evidence supporting the existence of dark stars. Special attention will be given to analyzing the spectra and luminosity of unusual objects, as well as modeling processes that took place in the early Universe. If this hypothesis is confirmed, it could fundamentally reshape our perspective on the origin of supermassive black holes and galaxy evolution.

Meanwhile, the scientific community continues to debate: did dark stars truly exist, or are we witnessing phenomena that remain undiscovered? The answer to this question could change not only astronomy textbooks, but also our understanding of humanity’s place in the Universe.

RUSSPAIN reminds readers that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the largest and most advanced infrared telescope in history, launched in 2021. Its mission is to study the early stages of the Universe’s evolution, as well as the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets. Thanks to JWST’s unique capabilities, scientists have gained access to information about cosmic objects that existed just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. Discoveries made with its help have already changed our understanding of the cosmos and continue to inspire new theories and hypotheses.