Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by takyon on Monday October 26 2015, @01:18AM   Printer-friendly
from the vomit-comet dept.

Scientists on Friday identified two complex organic molecules, or building blocks of life, on a comet for the first time, shedding new light on the cosmic origins of planets like Earth.

Ethyl alcohol and a simple sugar known as glycolaldehyde were detected in Comet Lovejoy, said the study in the journal Science Advances.

"These complex organic molecules may be part of the rocky material from which planets are formed," said the study.

Other organic molecules have previously been discovered in comets, most recently in comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, on which the European space agency's Philae found several organic molecules -- including four never detected before on a comet.

takyon: About the scale of the alcoholic activity:

"We found that comet Lovejoy was releasing as much alcohol as in at least 500 bottles of wine every second during its peak activity," said Nicolas Biver of the Paris Observatory, France, lead author of a paper on the discovery published October 23 in Science Advances.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Monday October 26 2015, @07:39PM

    by Hyperturtle (2824) on Monday October 26 2015, @07:39PM (#254842)

    Oh, so he's springing for the imported stuff? High class.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2