Scientists just discovered a galaxy that shouldn’t exist
Woah! Scientists just discovered a massive spiral galaxy that shouldn’t exist – spanning over 98,000 light-years.
Astronomers have just made a big discovery – literally.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a team of scientists have spotted a colossal spiral galaxy that seems to defy the rules of the universe. Say hello to the Big Wheel.
This cosmic giant existed just two billion years after the Big Bang, a time when galaxies weren’t supposed to be this huge.
The Big Wheel spans a mind-blowing 98,000 light-years, making it about the same size as our Milky Way. That’s like finding a full-grown tree in a nursery of saplings.
A surprisingly large disk galaxy in the early universe – about two billion years after the Big Bang – with dimensions more typical of the giant galactic disks of the current universe.
— ESA Webb Telescope (@ESA_Webb) March 19, 2025
Read more: https://t.co/eonAdJ9aPr pic.twitter.com/bKXI0f2cje
So, how did it bulk up so quickly?
Well, one leading theory is that the Big Wheel didn’t just slowly evolve, it was built through rapid galaxy mergers.
Imagine a series of cosmic car pile-ups, except instead of wreckage, you get a perfectly structured spiral galaxy.
Even stranger, the Big Wheel’s neighbourhood is 10 times denser than other parts of the universe, meaning it had plenty of cosmic material to fuel its rapid growth.
Plus, the gas flowing into the galaxy must have aligned perfectly with its rotation – like topping off a spinning pizza dough without ruining the shape.
“This is a less than two per cent chance discovery,” says study co-author Themiya Nanayakkara from Swinburne University of Technology.
“If we find more of these, it means our understanding of early galaxies might need a serious upgrade.”
For now, scientists are on the lookout for more of these cosmic overachievers.
The Big Wheel may be the first of its kind, but if more galaxies like it pop up, it could mean the early universe was a much wilder place than we ever imagined.
With this in mind, it might soon be time to rewrite textbooks.
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