Astronomers Discover Complex Carbon Molecules in Interstellar Space
MIT researchers found pyrene, a large carbon molecule, in the Taurus molecular cloud, suggesting that complex organic molecules may have contributed to the origins of life on Earth from space.
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A team of researchers from MIT has discovered complex carbon molecules, specifically pyrene, in the Taurus molecular cloud, which is significant for understanding the origins of life in the universe. This finding, published in the journal Science, suggests that such organic molecules likely existed in the cold gas cloud that preceded the formation of our Solar System and survived the harsh conditions during star formation. Pyrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), is the largest PAH detected in space, consisting of 26 atoms. The researchers used a tracer molecule, 1-cyanopyrene, to estimate the presence of pyrene, as it can be detected by radio telescopes. The discovery indicates that complex organic molecules could endure the extreme environments associated with star formation, supporting theories that the building blocks of life on Earth originated from space. This aligns with previous findings of pyrene in samples from the asteroid Ryugu, suggesting a connection between interstellar chemistry and the early development of life on Earth. The research enhances our understanding of how life may have evolved from complex organic molecules that survived in interstellar environments.
- Researchers from MIT discovered pyrene in the Taurus molecular cloud.
- Pyrene is the largest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon detected in space.
- The discovery supports theories that life's building blocks originated from space.
- 1-cyanopyrene was used as a tracer to estimate pyrene's presence.
- The findings link interstellar chemistry to the early development of life on Earth.
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4 commentsIt would be really amazing if we were able to know if both chiralities are equally represented in the space. Apart from the life itself it is astonishingly interesting how life evolved to be monochiral.
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