Dark Stars: Scientists Propose Dark Matter Powered Universe's First Stars

• Scientists propose "dark stars" powered by dark matter illuminated the early universe, forming within 100 million years after the Big Bang.
• These stars formed when dark matter particle annihilation released heat in protostars, preventing nuclear fusion and allowing them to grow enormous and luminous.
• Unlike normal stars, dark stars lacked fusion cores, had masses thousands to millions of times our Sun, and emitted light in infrared wavelengths.
• The James Webb Space Telescope is searching for candidates, as some distant bright objects match predictions for massive dark star profiles.
• Dark stars could explain the early emergence of supermassive black holes and reveal dark matter behavior beyond gravity.

Why It Matters: This theory redefines early star formation and dark matter's cosmic role.