protouraniums

Protouraniums are a hypothetical class of early-formed, massive stars that are thought to have existed in the universe's nascent stages. These stars, if they indeed existed, would have been composed almost entirely of hydrogen and helium, with negligible amounts of heavier elements, or "metals" as they are called in astronomy. The term "protouranium" suggests these stars predate the formation of uranium and other heavy elements, which are produced through stellar nucleosynthesis and supernova explosions.

The existence of protouraniums is primarily inferred from theoretical models of early star formation. These models suggest that the very first stars, known as Population III stars, would have been incredibly massive and short-lived, burning through their fuel rapidly. Protouraniums are envisioned as a potential earlier generation, forming from the primordial gas clouds that collapsed under gravity shortly after the Big Bang. Studying these hypothetical stars, or their observational remnants, could provide crucial insights into the conditions of the early universe and the processes that led to the formation of the first galaxies and heavier elements. Direct observational evidence for protouraniums remains elusive, posing a significant challenge for astronomers.