Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered an unexpected feature in a distant, early galaxy. Despite forming when the universe was still very young, this galaxy shows no signs of rotation. That behavior is typically seen only in very large, mature galaxies much closer to Earth, explained Ben Forrest, a research scientist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Davis, and lead author of a study published May 4 in Nature Astronomy . "This one in particular did not show any evidence of rotation, which was surprising and very interesting," Forrest said. Why Galaxies Are Expected to Spin Current models suggest that galaxies begin spinning as they form. Gas flowing inward and the pull of gravity create angular momentum, setting these systems in motion. Over billions of years, galaxies can collide and merge, especially in dense clusters. These repeated interactions can either build up or cancel out rotation.…