Milky Way’s heart mapped: ALMA reveals a 3D gas map of star birth

Scientists using the ALMA telescope captured the most detailed map yet of the Milky Way’s center, charting the cold molecular gas in the Central Molecular Zone and its motions with spectroscopy. The four-year ACES survey reveals where gas is shredding into stars and planets, offering insights into the solar system’s origins and serving as a window into conditions similar to the early universe, all produced by a large international collaboration and mapping more than 70 molecular lines.