Durham astronomers uncover the earliest known signs of galaxy-building in action

Astronomers from Durham University Physics Department have discovered the earliest known evidence of a galaxy being shaped from the inside out, revealing that key processes in galaxy evolution were already under way when the Universe was still young.

A glimpse into the early Universe:

The research shows that a distant galaxy, seen as it was more than nine billion years ago, already contains a dense, star-forming structure at its centre known as a nuclear disc.

Until now, nuclear discs had only been found in nearby, fully developed galaxies. Finding one so far back in time provides direct proof that galaxies were forming complex internal structures much earlier than previously thought.

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