Astronomers have discovered an extremely rare iron-deficient star that formed in the early universe, offering unprecedented insights into stellar evolution from cosmic antiquity. The star represents a second-generation stellar object, meaning it formed from material enriched by the first stars that ever existed.
The discovery provides direct evidence of how ancient first-generation stars chemically enriched the primordial universe through their deaths, seeding space with heavier elements that would later form into subsequent stellar generations. The star's iron deficiency is a key signature that links it to this ancient cosmic era.