When darkness shines: How dark stars could illuminate the early universe

By Alexey A. Petrov, Professor of physics and astronomy, University of South Carolina

Scientists working with the James Webb Space Telescope discovered three unusual astronomical objects in early 2025, which may be examples of dark stars. The concept of dark stars has existed for some time and could alter scientists’ understanding of how ordinary stars form. However, their name is somewhat misleading.

“Dark stars” is one of those unfortunate names that, on the surface, does not accurately describe the objects it represents. Dark stars are not exactly stars, and they are certainly not dark.
…

Read complete article

~	The gender pay gap looks different depending where you are on the income ladder

~	The world’s little-known volcanoes pose the greatest threat

~	First human bird-flu death from H5N5 – what you need to know

~	How stories of personal experience cut through climate fatigue in ways that global negotiations can’t

~	The real reason states first emerged thousands of years ago – new research

~	Colleges teach the most valuable career skills when they don’t stick narrowly to preprofessional education

~	Automated systems decide which homeless Philadelphians get housing and who stays on the street – often in ways that feel arbitrary to those waiting

~	Treating love for work like a virtue can backfire on employees and teams

~	A quarter of early child care educators in Colorado reported mistreatment from co-workers

~	Sea level doesn’t rise at the same rate everywhere – we mapped where Antarctica’s ice melt would have the biggest impact