Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have found strong evidence that the universe’s first “Population III” stars may have been observed for the first time.

The potential discovery comes from light detected around a small companion object near a galaxy that formed just 400 million years after the Big Bang.

The signals show extremely low levels of heavy elements and strong helium emissions, matching predictions for these ancient, massive stars.

Researchers believe these early stars were far larger and hotter than modern stars and quickly exploded, helping create heavier elements in the universe, Phys.org has reported.

While still requiring confirmation, the findings could offer a direct glimpse into how the earliest stars shaped cosmic evolution.