Astrophysicists Puzzle Over Webb's New Universe | Quanta Magazine

Theory Briefing

• Webb telescope found early black holes and galaxies that standard cosmological models said couldn't exist that soon after the Big Bang.
• The unexpected observations have triggered a wave of competing new theories, none yet settled, about how structure formed in the early universe.
• Scientists must now choose between tweaking existing models or entertaining more radical revisions to foundational cosmological assumptions.
• The puzzle mirrors a classic tension in science: when data breaks a model, it's unclear whether to patch it or replace it entirely.