Scientists just recreated the universe's first ever molecules — and the results challenge our understanding of the early cosmos

This story was provided by Live Science, a sister site of Space.com.

For the first time, researchers have recreated the universe's first ever molecules by mimicking the conditions of the early universe.

The findings shake up our understanding of the origin of stars in the early universe and "calls for a reassessment of the helium chemistry in the early universe," the researchers wrote in the new study, published July 24 in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

The first stars in the universe

Just after the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, the universe was subject to extremely high temperatures. A few seconds later, though, temperatures decreased enough for hydrogen and helium to form as the first ever elements. Hundreds of thousands of years after those elements formed, temperatures