Scientists just recreated the Universe’s first molecule and solved a 13-billion-year-old puzzle

Scientists have successfully recreated the helium hydride ion (HeH+), the universe's first molecule formed after the Big Bang, in laboratory conditions matching the early universe. Researchers at Max-Planck-Institut discovered that HeH+ reactions with hydrogen remain constant at low temperatures rather than slowing down as previously theorized. This breakthrough reveals that HeH+ played a more significant role in early universe chemistry and star formation than scientists had assumed, helping solve the mystery of how the first stars formed.