Ancient galaxy sheds light on dust in early Universe

One of the oldest galaxies ever observed has revealed that dust played a vital role in the infancy of the Universe.  Grains of dust made from carbon, silicon, magnesium, iron and oxygen are formed in the nuclear combustion of a star.  They are spewed into space when the star dies and explodes. Over aeons, clouds of dust and gas coalesce to form new star systems.  The theory is that in the fledgling Universe, gas must have formed the early galaxies as there was no dust to do the job.  But new research suggests dust played its creative part at a much earlier point than thought.