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The onset of galaxy formation is thought to be initiated by the infall ofneutral, pristine gas onto the first protogalactic halos. However, directconstraints on the abundance of neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) in galaxies havebeen difficult to obtain at early cosmic times. Here we present spectroscopicobservations with JWST of three galaxies at redshifts $z=8.8 - 11.4$, about$400-600$ Myr after the Big Bang, that show strong damped Lyman-$\alpha$absorption ($N_{\rm HI} > 10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$) from HI in their localsurroundings, an order of magnitude in excess of the Lyman-$\alpha$ absorptioncaused by the neutral intergalactic medium at these redshifts. Consequently,these early galaxies cannot be contributing significantly to reionization, atleast at their current evolutionary stages. Simulations of galaxy formationshow that such massive gas reservoirs surrounding young galaxies so early inthe history of the universe is a signature of galaxy formation in progress.

Extreme damped Lyman-$\alpha$ absorption in young star-forming galaxies at $z=9-11$