TALK ABSTRACT:
--------------
Following the successful mapping of the last scattering surface by WMAP and 
balloon experiments, the epoch of the first stars (when Population III stars 
formed) is emerging as the next cosmological frontier. It is not clear what 
these stars' properties were, when they formed or how long their era lasted 
before leading to the stars and galaxies we see today. It is shown that these
questions can be answered with the current and future measurements of the 
near-IR cosmic infrared background (CIB). Theoretical arguments suggest that 
Population III stars were very massive and short-lived stars that formed at 
redshifts z ~ 10-20 at rare peaks of the density field in the cold-dark-matter
Universe.  Because Population III stars probably formed individually in small 
mini-halos, they are not directly accessible to current telescopic studies.
However, these stars left a strong and measurable signature via their 
contribution to the CIB anisotropies for a wide range of their formation 
scenarios. The excess in the recently measured near-IR CIB anisotropies over 
that from normal galaxies can be explained by contribution from early 
Population III stars. These results imply that Population III were indeed 
very massive stars and their epoch started at z~ 20 and lasted past z<~ 13. 
The importance of accurately measuring the CIB anisotropies produced by 
Population III with future space-based missions will be discussed.