Supermassive Stars: Cosmic Giants at the Edge of Physics

Supermassive stars can be more than 100 times the mass of our Sun.
They burn their fuel incredibly fast, living only a few million years compared to the Sun’s 10 billion.
These giants shine millions of times brighter than our Sun, dominating their galaxies.
Radiation pressure battles gravity inside them, pushing physics to the breaking point.
Many end their lives as supernovae or collapse directly into black holes.
The most massive may explode as pair-instability supernovae, leaving no remnant behind.
Supermassive stars seed the cosmos with heavy elements vital for planets and life.
They are often found in dense stellar nurseries where extreme conditions fuel their growth.
Theoretical models suggest some early-universe stars may have reached thousands of solar masses.
Studying these cosmic giants helps scientists understand galaxy evolution and black hole formation.