Rohan Naidu: From engineering dropout to probing the early universe

Rohan Naidu, an Indian-born astrophysicist who abandoned an engineering degree at 18, has emerged as a leading figure in the study of the early universe. Now based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a Pappalardo Fellow in Physics, Naidu is the lead author of a groundbreaking study published in Nature on 12 August 2026. The paper, titled “A gas-enshrouded and gas-reddened black hole at cosmic dawn,” presents findings from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) regarding an extraordinary celestial object named MoM-BH-1. This object, observed approximately 660 million years after the Big Bang, challenges existing theories about the formation and growth of supermassive black holes during the universe’s infancy. Naidu’s journey to astrophysics began in Hyderabad, India, where he was born. Unlike traditional academic paths, he chose to leave engineering school at 18 and moved to Singapore to join the inaugural class of 150 students at Yale-NUS College. There, he immersed himself in research on blazars, active galactic nuclei powered by supermassive black holes, and developed a passion for understanding the cosmos. He later earned his doctorate at Harvard University under the guidance of astronomer Charlie Conroy, focusing on the distant reaches of the Milky Way and ancient galaxies that merged with our own. Today, his research at MIT centers on the first galaxies that formed shortly after the Big Bang, blending observational data with historical analysis of ancient galactic structures. MoM-BH-1 was detected through JWST’s Mirage or Miracle programme, a dedicated effort to identify rare and extreme objects in the early universe. The object exhibited striking properties: it was unusually red, highly luminous, and nearly invisible at wavelengths longer than 3 micrometers. When observed at shorter wavelengths, it seemed to vanish entirely. Further analysis using JWST’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) uncovered a massive Balmer break, a sharp drop in light intensity caused by hydrogen absorption, and peculiar hydrogen spectral lines. These features suggested that the object was not a typical young galaxy but something far more complex. Naidu and his team proposed a novel model to explain these anomalies. Rather than viewing MoM-BH-1* as a conventional galaxy, they theorized that it contained a rapidly growing supermassive black hole encased in a dense, turbulent, and dust-free envelope of hydrogen-rich gas. This configuration would cause the observed reddening effect and extreme luminosity, as the surrounding gas absorbs and re-emits light in specific ways. Such a structure could provide insights into how supermassive black holes formed and evolved in the early universe, a question that has long puzzled astronomers. The discovery of MoM-BH-1 has particular significance in relation to the so-called “little red dots”, mysterious faint red objects detected by JWST in the early universe. These objects have defied easy classification, appearing neither like typical galaxies nor quasars. If MoM-BH-1 represents a similar phenomenon, it might help scientists understand the nature of these enigmatic entities. Naidu’s research suggests that such objects could be the result of supermassive black holes shrouded in gas, rather than being young galaxies themselves. Beyond his scientific contributions, Naidu maintains a diverse set of personal interests. He is an avid follower of Test cricket, a published poet, and a trivia enthusiast. His unique blend of intellectual curiosity and eclectic hobbies underscores his unconventional approach to both life and science. As the field of early-universe astrophysics continues to evolve, Naidu’s work stands as a pivotal contribution, offering fresh perspectives on one of the most profound mysteries in cosmology.