The answer, provided by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), reveals a turbulent "cosmic highway" that transports these minerals from a star’s molten core to its icy halo. The "Smoking Gun" in the Serpens NebulaThe research team, led by Professor Jeong-Eun Lee of Seoul National University, trained the Webb telescope’s powerful Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on a protostar known as EC 53. Located approximately 1,300 light-years away in the Serpens Nebula, EC 53 is a stellar infant, still wrapped in a thick blanket of gas and dust. Why This Matters to EarthThis discovery bridges a gap in the history of our own solar system. EC 53 is expected to remain shrouded in its dusty cocoon for another 100,000 years.

Source: The Star January 21, 2026 20:13 UTC