Discovery of Nitriles in Space Could Unlock Cosmic Mysteries
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Space.com
Scientists have discovered two nitrile-containing molecules, malononitrile and maleonitrile, in the Taurus molecular cloud, an interstellar region near Earth. These molecules are significant because they are precursors in the synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, essential components of RNA and DNA, suggesting complex chemical processes in space that may relate to the origins of life. The findings highlight the active chemical nature of interstellar clouds and the challenges in modeling the formation of newly discovered molecules.