Not everything is known entirely about the longevity of the first stars, especially considering they existed nearly 14 billion years, but research suggests that these stars did not burn nearly are long as later stars. The first star was born about 14 billion years ago into a universe that was much simpler and less complex than ours today.The universe was smaller and denser than today, and as a result it was pitch-black and contained mostly hydrogen and helium with a little bit of lithium. Most stars today are rich in metals, but the early universe was metal-free in the beginning. Researchers have long assumed that the first stars must have been an a metal-free variety, and that they exploded soon after they were born. When they exploded, they would forge metal and fling it into space. Later, the more diverse array of material would have been gathered up to make second- and third-generation stars.
The first step, according to modern research and simulations, in the creation f the first stars was when gravity gathered gases into diffused clouds. As the gases cooled, they came together at the center of each cloud. This cluster of gases was no larger than our sun today. The group of gases would collapsed further, while surrounding gas piled on top of it. Finally, several million years after the entire process began, the intense compression created a full-fledged star, which in return created light. There was now light shining from these massive stars throughout the darkness. However, these stars burned brightly and then fizzled after only a few million years, dying in huge explosions, which we call a supernovae. During the brief time these first stars reigned, however, they brought changes in the universe that had a major impact on future galaxy formation. They would heat surrounding gases and shower them with ultraviolet light. And when they exploded, the stars contributed to the continuation of molding the universe, and the next generation of stars, with the first supply of heavy elements, including the oxygen.