Complex organic molecules (COMs) detected in the gas phase are thought to be mostly formed on icy grains, but no unambiguous detection of icy COMs larger than CH3OH has been […]
We demonstrate for the first time that Galactic cosmic rays with energies as high as 1e10 eV can trigger a cascade of low-energy (< 20 eV) secondary electrons that could […]
Acetic acid (CH3COOH) was detected in the gas toward interstellar clouds, hot cores, protostars and comets. Its formation in ice mantles was proposed and acetic acid awaits detection in the […]
Complex organic molecules (COMs) in protoplanetary disks are key to understanding the origin of volatiles in comets in our solar system, yet the chemistry of COMs in protoplanetary disks remains […]
Human biology has a preference for left-handed chiral molecules and an outstanding question is if this is imposed through astrophysical origins.
How organisms develop from inanimate matter is one of the biggest questions in science. Although many possible explanations have been proposed, there are no definitive answers. That’s no surprise: these […]
Miller and Urey applied electric sparks to a reducive mixture of CH4, NH3, and water to obtain a complex organic mixture including biomolecules.
Reduced-oxidation-state phosphorus (reduced P, hereafter) compounds were likely available on the early Earth via meteorites or through various geologic processes.
Scientists using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed the presence of electrically-charged molecules in space shaped like soccer balls, shedding light on the mysterious contents of the interstellar medium (ISM) […]
We present JWST/NIRSpec observations of the five Jupiter Trojans that will be visited by the Lucy spacecraft — the Patroclus–Menoetius binary, Eurybates, Orus, Leucus, and Polymele.
