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MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research

MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research

Research Institute

Appears in 2 stories

Stories

James Webb telescope rewrites the cosmic dawn

New Capabilities

Leading JWST early universe research

In January 2026, NASA confirmed MoM-z14 as the most distant galaxy ever observed, formed 280 million years after the Big Bang. JWST has kept adding to the list: a non-rotating dead galaxy, a dust-rich red galaxy at 400 million years old, and a 164,000-galaxy map of the cosmic web—all published in the months since.

Updated 3 days ago

The silent deaths: stars that collapse into black holes without exploding

New Capabilities

Leading M31-2014-DS1 investigation

For decades, astronomers assumed all massive stars end their lives in spectacular supernova explosions. But a quiet revolution in observations has revealed that some stars simply vanish—collapsing directly into black holes without the cosmic fireworks. Two confirmed cases, one in the Fireworks Galaxy and another in Andromeda, now suggest that 10 to 30 percent of massive stars may meet this silent end.

Updated Jan 21