All articles tagged with #organic molecules
Astronomers detected methanimine, a simple organic molecule, in the L1544 pre-stellar core about 554 light-years away, suggesting that the chemistry needed for life begins before star formation and could seed planets forming from the cloud with life's building blocks.
NASA’s SPHEREx telescope observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS erupting after its Sun encounter, releasing abundant organic compounds such as methanol, cyanide and methane along with relatively large fragments. The data suggest a radiation-processed crust and deeper ice reserves were heated, offering a rare glimpse at material formed around another star.
NASA's Curiosity rover found long-chain organic molecules on ancient Martian rocks; after evaluating non-biological sources, researchers say those processes can’t easily account for the observed abundances, keeping the possibility of past life on Mars in play but stopping short of a definitive life detection and calling for further Mars-analog research to understand the findings.
NASA's SPHEREx infrared space telescope observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during its December close approach and detected organic molecules such as methanol, cyanide, and methane, indicating that the materials associated with life can be present in cometary material. The findings, published as a Research Note of the American Astronomical Society, support the idea that comets can deliver bio-relevant compounds, though they do not imply life itself. SPHEREx scans the sky in infrared with 102 color sensors, and captured data as 3I/ATLAS passed by the Sun before heading back into interstellar space.
NASA’s Curiosity rover is carrying out a rare, redesigned three‑stage test using tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) on Nevado Sajama rock to hunt for carbon‑based molecules that could hint at past life on Mars; after two phases, scientists expect months to interpret the results, building on earlier TMAH work (including a Mary Anning site) and the presence of clay minerals that may help preserve organics.
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.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope to study the dusty heart of ultra-luminous galaxy IRAS 07251-0248, scientists detected a rich chemistry of small organic molecules (like benzene, methane, acetylene, diacetylene, triacetylene, and methyl radicals) and carbon-based dust with water ice. The abundances exceed current models, implying a persistent carbon source and possible cosmic-ray processing that releases these organics, which could act as precursors to more complex biomolecules and life, offering a window into space-based prebiotic chemistry and the galaxy’s role in forming life's building blocks.
NASA’s SPHEREx observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS brighten in December 2025, detecting organic molecules such as methanol, cyanide and methane in a increasingly active coma rich in CO2, CO and H2O. Delayed venting—driven by solar heating penetrating deep into the crust—releases pristine ices and rocky material, highlighting the comet’s processed exterior and complex chemistry, and showcasing SPHEREx’s capability to study such rare, far‑flung visitors.
Scientists have developed a new, more efficient method of splitting water to produce hydrogen by adding an organic molecule and a modified catalyst, reducing energy costs by up to 40% and doubling hydrogen output, potentially advancing scalable and greener hydrogen production.
Astronomers have found widespread organic molecules in space, including in comets, asteroids, and interstellar dust, suggesting that the ingredients for life were present in the early solar system and could have been delivered to Earth, influencing the emergence of life. This discovery highlights the deep space origins of life's building blocks but does not prove life began there.
Recent research suggests that some organic molecules detected in plumes from Saturn's moon Enceladus may be produced by natural space radiation rather than originating from the moon's subsurface ocean, complicating the assessment of its habitability.
Astronomers have for the first time detected complex organic molecules, including ethanol, acetaldehyde, methyl formate, and acetic acid, in ice beyond the Milky Way, specifically in the Large Magellanic Cloud, suggesting that the ingredients for life are widespread across the universe.
Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected complex organic molecules, considered the 'seeds of life,' in icy environments beyond our galaxy, specifically in the Large Magellanic Cloud, indicating that such molecules can form in harsh, low-metallicity conditions similar to early universe galaxies, which may have implications for the origins of life elsewhere in the universe.
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected complex organic molecules, including some found on Earth, frozen in ice around a young star in the neighboring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, marking the first such discovery outside the Milky Way and providing new insights into the potential for life beyond our galaxy.
Astronomers have found complex organic molecules in Saturn's moon Enceladus, suggesting it may be a promising candidate in the search for extraterrestrial life, based on data from the Cassini spacecraft indicating chemical reactions in its underground ocean. While not confirming life, these findings increase the moon's habitability potential, prompting interest in future missions.