Missing link between Big Bang & star creation found

The “missing link” between the Big Bang and the evolution of the universe has been uncovered by a team of international scientists.

The missing link or the period between the Big Bang some 13.7 billion years ago and the creation of the first stars is known as “dark ages” of space which scientists have known nothing for years.

But Cambridge University researchers have now captured light emitted from a massive black hole to peer into this unknown portion of the history of the universe.

They discovered remnants of the first stars and evidence of the aftermath of an exploding star, which was a staggering 25 times larger than the sun.

Professor Max Pettini, of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy, believes the discovery of these gases could help reveal the origins of the universe.

“We have effectively been able to peer into the Dark Ages using the light emitted from a quasar. The light provides a backdrop against which any gas cloud in its path can be measured,” Prof Pettini was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

He said, “We discovered tiny amounts of elements present in the cloud in proportions that are very different from their relative proportions in normal stars today.

“Most significantly, the ratio of carbon to iron is 35 times greater than measured in the sun.

“The composition enables us to infer that the gas was released by a star 25 times more massive than the sun and originally consisting of only hydrogen and helium.

“In effect, this is a fossil record that provides us with a missing link back to the early universe.”

via Missing link between Big Bang & star creation found | Discoveryon.