The James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery in the distant universe, uncovering evidence of massive galaxies that existed near the cosmic dawn.

The discovery, made by the telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3, includes the detection of six galaxies that are billions of years old and much larger than expected. According to the University of Colorado Boulder, the galaxies, which are known as “ancient massive galaxies” or “universe breakers,” should not exist.

The Associated Press reported that the galaxies were discovered near the edge of the observable universe and are estimated to have formed around 12 billion years ago, shortly after the Big Bang.

The telescope’s observations suggest that the galaxies are much larger than those previously discovered, with some estimated to be more than 10 times the size of the Milky Way. Scientists believe the galaxies may have formed through a process known as “cold flow” which occurs when large amounts of cold gas flow into the galaxies and form stars.

The discovery has been described as “truly bizarre” by scientists and is set to be published in the Astrophysical Journal. It is hoped that the findings will help researchers understand how galaxies form and evolve.

The James Webb Space Telescope, which was launched in October 2018, is the most powerful telescope ever sent into space. It is expected to provide astronomers with an unprecedented view of the universe, allowing them to observe distant galaxies and stars in greater detail than ever before.