Galaxies are where the action is. They're where you find most star birth, life and death, along with related activities: the production of heavy elements, the formation of planets and the emergence of life. Because galaxy formation is governed by the conditions of the surrounding universe, understanding how galaxies evolve teaches us about the way the universe works.

The Webb telescope is designed to study the small groups of stars that make up the early building blocks of today's galaxies. It will learn when galaxies first appeared, and about the environment they faced. It will analyze the heavy elements produced, and examine the exchange of material between galaxies and the gas, dust and space between galaxies.