Is the Universe keeping a secret from us? New findings from the James Webb Space Telescope suggest that most of the first galaxies may have spun in the same direction. This challenges a long-held assumption that cosmic spins should be evenly balanced between clockwise and counterclockwise rotations.
Across the cosmos, rotation is common: stars whirl, planets orbit, and galaxies rotate. For decades, astronomers assumed these spins would average out to balance each other. Yet Webb’s deep-field observations are prompting a reevaluation of that idea.
A Kansas State University team reports in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society that, among the early galaxies captured by Webb, a sizable majority appear to rotate in the same direction. Lior Shamir, a computer science professor and the study’s lead author, notes the pattern is so apparent that it stands out in the data.
If confirmed, this predominance of a single rotational sense could imply that the infant Universe had an intrinsic handedness, a kind of primordial spin. One possibility is that the Universe itself was born with rotation. If that were true, we would expect to see a fingerprint in the cosmic microwave background radiation, but so far no such signature has been detected. This idea touches some of the boldest theories in physics, including the notion that our Universe might reside inside a colossal black hole. As Shamir puts it, a spinning early Universe would indicate gaps in our current models.
A second, more conservative explanation is that the observed bias might be an illusion. Because the Earth orbits the center of the Milky Way, our vantage point could slightly bias how we perceive distant galaxies’ spins. What scientists once regarded as a negligible effect may warrant renewed attention as data from Webb accumulates.
If the spin bias is real, it could force scientists to recalibrate how we measure far-off distances and movements in space. More broadly, it might illuminate other cosmological puzzles—such as why the Universe appears to expand at varying rates or why some vast galaxies seem older than the Universe itself.
Whether this is a true cosmic signal or a perceptual artifact, Webb has once again reminded us that the Universe still holds surprises that can upend our most fundamental assumptions.
Nathalie Mayer
Journalist
Born in Lorraine on a cold winter night, I’ve always found storytelling to be a powerful conduit for science. From my grandmother’s tales to modern physics, I translate complex ideas into accessible explanations. I’ve collaborated with institutions like CEA, Total, Engie, and Futura, and I’m dedicated to blending science with storytelling to explore Earth’s environmental and energy challenges and the solutions ahead.
