The Molecule That Made MacBooks Possible

In the frozen darkness after the Big Bang, the very first spark of chemistry flickered into existence: a strange hybrid known as the helium hydride ion (HeH⁺). Against impossible odds, this exotic molecule became the key to unlocking molecular hydrogen — the cosmic fuel that allowed the universe’s first stars to ignite. Fast-forward 13.8 billion years, and scientists on Earth have finally managed to recreate those primordial reactions inside a cryogenic storage ring, proving that the chemistry of creation is far more efficient than anyone dared to imagine. Without HeH⁺ there would have been no stars, no galaxies, no planets… and ultimately, no humans to dream, explore, and build. In other words: without that first molecule, there would be no MacBooks on our desks today.