Nature Astronomy, Published online: 19 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41550-026-02920-8 Decades of progress in photometric and spectroscopic surveys have led to successful searches for the descendants of the first stars in the nearby Universe, but the first generation itself is still elusive. The prospects for finding them look promising thanks to forthcoming survey facilities, which will open a window to star-forming environments in the early Universe.