Scientists have recreated the first molecule ever to form and found that it likely played a much bigger role in the birth of early stars than previously thought. It then took another 380,000 years for ...

The history of the universe always feels hard to fathom. After the Big Bang, it is believed that the universe was filled with hot gas and light. Eventually, matter started to cool down, and the first ...

Seconds after the Big Bang, the newborn universe gave rise to the first elements—ionized forms of hydrogen and helium. These particles combined, forging helium hydride—the first ever molecule. It ...

About 13.8 billion years ago, the newborn universe was a blazing sea of energy and particles. Within minutes of the Big Bang, conditions had cooled enough for the very first atoms—mostly hydrogen, ...

Long before stars lit up the sky, the universe was a hot, dense place where simple chemistry quietly set the stage for everything to come. Scientists have now recreated the first molecule ever to form ...

For decades, astronomers have wondered what the very first stars in the universe were like. These stars formed new chemical elements, which enriched the universe and allowed the next generations of ...

Molecules containing noble gases shouldn’t exist. By definition, these chemical elements — helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon and radon — are the party poopers of the periodic table, huddling in the ...

Reaction scheme and energetic level of the investigated reaction of the helium hydride ion with deuterium. It is a swift and barrierless reaction, contrary to earlier theories. Background: The ...

Scientists have long suspected that helium hydride was the first molecule in the universe, but no one has ever detected it in space until now. NASA researchers have spotted helium hydride many light ...

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Luke Keller, Ithaca College (THE CONVERSATION) For decades, astronomers have wondered ...