Source:
The Daily Galaxy
A team of NASA and European scientists recorded the "fingerprints" of
mystery molecules this summer in two distant galaxies, Andromeda and the
Triangulum. Astronomers can count on one hand the number of galaxies
examined so far for such fingerprints, which are thought to belong to
large organic molecules (molecules that have at least 20 atoms or more),
says the team's leader, Martin Cordiner of NASA's Goddard Center for
Astrobiology. This is quite small compared to, say, a protein, but huge
compared to a molecule of carbon monoxide, a very common molecule in
space.
Figuring out exactly which molecules are leaving these clues, known as
"diffuse interstellar bands" (DIBs), is a puzzle that initially seemed
straightforward but has gone unsolved for nearly a hundred years. The
answer is expected to help explain how stars, planets and life form, so
settling the matter is as important to astronomers who specialize in
chemistry and biology as determining the nature of dark matter is to the
specialists in physics.
Source: PhysOrg.com
