Did JWST Discover Dark Matter Stars?

Did JWST Discover Dark Matter Stars?

From PBS Space Time by PBS

April 29, 2026 · 20 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the potential discovery of a new type of star powered by dark matter, as suggested by findings from the James Webb Space Telescope.

Check Out Human Footprint on PBS Terra: https://youtu.be/-c_KBWyPGaQ PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to:http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime We knew that the James Webb Space Telescope would find interesting stuff, especially about the mysterious early times. For example, there are hints that the galaxies we’re seeing are brighter and more regular than expected given the short amount of time they’d had to grow. Well, perhaps no one was expecting that we’d find a completely new type of star—one mostly made of and powered by dark matter and shining as bright as an entire galaxy. Which, by the way, might help us explain those pesky giant galaxies. Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://www.pbsspacetime.com/shop Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime Search the Entire Space Time Library Here: https://search.pbsspacetime.com/ Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Matt Caplan & Matt O'Dowd Post Production by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Adriano Leal &…

People in this episode

Host: Matt O'Dowd

Topics covered

  • James Webb Space Telescope
  • dark matter
  • astronomy
  • galaxies
  • space exploration

Keywords

  • JWST
  • dark matter stars
  • galaxies
  • space telescope
  • astronomy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: PBS, PBS Terra, Space Time Merch Store, Patreon

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