NASA's Webb Telescope Detects Crucial Carbon Molecule and Amino Acid in Space

The James Webb Space Telescope has detected the methyl cation (CH3+) for the first time in a protoplanetary disc surrounding a young star, providing insight into interstellar carbon chemistry and the potential for life elsewhere in the universe. CH3+ is a crucial carbon-based molecule that initiates the growth of more complex organic compounds. The molecule's detection was made possible through a cross-disciplinary analysis, including input from laboratory spectroscopists. The discovery was made in the Orion Nebula, where the system is bombarded by strong ultraviolet radiation from nearby hot, young, massive stars, which may play a critical role in the early chemical stages of the origins of life.