Three theoretical pictures of the redshift z~2 Universe (10.7 billion years ago): a) continuous dark matter distribution, b) simplified view of the halo model, c) most efficient sites to ignite stars. Click to zoom in.
By looking at those distant places, folks using the Herschel data - Alexandre Amblard and dozens of collaborators - concluded that the concentration of 0.3 trillion solar masses (an old galaxy) is enough to start ignition of stars. That strongly differs from the "consensus orthodoxy" that estimated the lower bound to be 5 trillion solar masses.
The preprint appeared as a letter to editor of Nature today.
Via Phys Org
