Known as Population III stars, they were massive, hot, and short-lived. They created heavier elements via nuclear fusion, seeding the universe with carbon, oxygen, and iron. Their explosions as supernovae shaped early galaxies. No Population III star survives today, but their influence is everywhere. Detecting their remnants helps trace chemical evolution. They were the universe’s first factories for complex elements.
It matters because Population III stars created the building blocks for planets and life.
It also helps astronomers understand early galaxy formation.
The universe’s first stars were unlike anything we see today.
[National Aeronautics and Space Administration, nasa.gov]