James Webb Telescope Detects Unexpected Light from Early Galaxy JADES-GS-z13-1

The James Webb Space Telescope detected strong Lyman-alpha emission from galaxy JADES-GS-z13-1, which existed only 330 million years after the Big Bang. This challenges existing models of the early universe, which suggest that light should not have been able to escape the cosmic fog of neutral hydrogen at that time. The intensity of the Lyman-alpha line indicates the galaxy is surrounded by a bubble of ionized hydrogen, possibly created by a population of massive, hot stars or an active galactic nucleus. This discovery suggests that the reionization of the universe, when it became transparent to ultraviolet light, may have occurred earlier and more locally than previously thought, with smaller galaxies playing a significant role.