International scientists explain why universe forms fewer stars
Astronomers using the FAST telescope have discovered that the universe is forming fewer stars because gas is becoming harder to convert into molecular clouds. This finding challenges the previous belief that star formation was slowing down simply due to a lack of available hydrogen fuel.
Why it matters
This discovery fundamentally shifts scientific understanding of galaxy evolution and the physical processes governing the lifecycle of the universe.
The latest observations indicate that whilst neutral hydrogen is abundant, the process by which gas is converted into stars has slowed down, altering our understanding of galaxy evolution
An international team of astronomers led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences analysed data collected by the "Chinese Sky Eye" (FAST) and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), covering approximately 2.5 million galaxies across about one-third of the sky. Using spectral line stacking – a technique that combines faint 21-centimetre radio signals from approximately 2.5 million galaxies – the scientists have, for the first time, traced the evolution of neutral atomic hydrogen (the primary fuel for stars) on cosmic timescales with sufficient statistical precision.
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