CATCH ME UP
Rohan Naidu left engineering at age 18 to pursue a path in astrophysics.
He earned a PhD from Harvard and took up fellowships at MIT and the University of Hawaii.
Naidu is currently leading research on an unusual early-universe object designated as MoM-BH-1*
Observations of the object were made using the James Webb Space Telescope.
More context
The object dates back to a period when the universe was less than 700 million years old.
Its unique properties do not fit standard astrophysical categories.
Researchers propose it could be a black hole star, a massive black hole surrounded by dense gas.
This model could help explain mysterious early-universe phenomena and Little Red Dots.
The interpretation of the object and its formation remains an active area of scientific research.