Carbon is often referred to as the “foundation of life” because it is the element present in all known life forms. This is because his sixth element on the periodic table has the unique ability to form the complex molecules necessary to form so-called “organic” substances. So when a scientist looks for signs of life beyond Earth, one of the first things he does is look for organic compounds, substances that contain carbon and can therefore support life.
Recent research published in journals science It gives further insight into how life originated. After analyzing samples taken by Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft from both the asteroid Ryugu and the Murchison meteorite, researchers say they contain organic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Confirmed. More interestingly, they found that some PAHs have nuclei that form only at extremely cold temperatures, below 100 Kelvin.
The conclusion was clear. These PAHs must have formed in the cold regions of interstellar space, rather than in the hot regions close to the stars, calling into question previous assumptions about where these components came from. This discovery has potentially significant implications for scientists focused on learning about the origins of life.
“This study gives us valuable insight into how organic compounds form extraterrestrially and where in the universe they come from,” said study co-author W.A. said Dr. Alex Holman from the Organic Isotope Geochemistry Center (WA-OIGC). told Astrobiology.com. “Through the use of high-tech methods and creative experiments, we have shown that select PAHs on asteroids can form even in cold space.”