NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered complex organic molecules essential for life as we know it, surrounding two young protostars, IRAS 2A and IRAS 23385.
The chemical ingredients identified around these protostars are margaritas, vinegar, and even ant stings.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Finds a Cosmic Cocktail
The telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) detected icy compounds comprising complex organic molecules such as ethanol, typically found in alcoholic beverages like margaritas, and likely acetic acid, a component of vinegar, shedding light on the potential ingredients for habitable worlds.
Through Webb's MIRI, an international astronomer team identified various icy compounds, including ethanol and acetic acid, surrounding the young protostars. These discoveries are crucial as they represent fundamental elements necessary for the formation of planets capable of sustaining life.
The detection of these complex organic molecules (COMs) in the solid phase suggests that they originate from the sublimation of ice, where they transition directly from a solid to a gas state, according to NASA.
This finding has astronomers hopeful about gaining a deeper understanding of the origins of larger molecules in space. Moreover, scientists are intrigued by the possibility of these COMs being transported to planets during later stages of protostellar evolution.
(Photo : NASA, ESA, CSA, W. Rocha (Leiden University))
Icy COMs
The presence of icy COMs in molecular clouds suggests they could be easily transported to planet-forming disks, potentially being incorporated into comets and asteroids that may collide with forming planets, thereby delivering the essential ingredients for life.
In addition to complex organic molecules, simpler compounds like formic acid, methane, formaldehyde, and sulfur dioxide were also detected. According to NASA, sulfur-containing compounds, such as sulfur dioxide, are believed to have played a significant role in driving metabolic reactions on early Earth.
One of the protostars studied, IRAS 2A, is characterized as a low-mass protostar, resembling the early stages of our solar system. This suggests that the chemicals identified around IRAS 2A may have been present during the initial phases of our solar system's development and later delivered to Earth.
The findings hold significant implications for understanding the chemical processes involved in the formation of planetary systems.
Webb's Observations of Young Protostars
The team plans to continue their investigation using data from the James Webb Observations of Young ProtoStars (JOYS+) program. They will dedicate their discoveries to the memory of team member Harold Linnartz, who passed away unexpectedly in December 2023.
"All of these molecules can become part of comets and asteroids and eventually new planetary systems when the icy material is transported inward to the planet-forming disk as the protostellar system evolves," Ewine van Dishoeck of Leiden University, one of the coordinators of the science program, said in a statement.
"We look forward to following this astrochemical trail step-by-step with more Webb data in the coming years," she added.
The research team's findings were published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
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