JWST Detects Rich Organic Chemistry in a Distant Galaxy
The James Webb Space Telescope unveils a surprisingly rich set of organic molecules in IRAS 07251–0248, an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy about 10+ billion light-years away. Detected molecules include methane, acetylene, benzene, and the methyl radical, indicating a complex chemical network far exceeding current models and potentially driven by cosmic rays that fragment larger carbon-rich grains into smaller organics. This suggests distant galactic nuclei can be ongoing sources of carbon for prebiotic chemistry, offering new insights into the origins of life and showcasing JWST’s power to study chemical evolution in the early universe.
