Astronomy: The origin of life probably begins in space and not on planets
Until now, it was unclear whether the conditions around a nascent star were too extreme to allow the building blocks of life to develop: they are not.
Artist's impression of a protoplanetary disk and some of the molecules that have now been found: propionitrile (ethyl cyanide), glycol nitrile, alanine, glycine, ethylene glycol, acetonitrile (methyl cyanide) (from left to right)
(Image: ESO/L. Calçada/T. Müller (MPIA/HdA)/CC BY 4.0)
The development of life as we know it apparently does not begin on planets at all, but even before their formation, namely in space. This is suggested by a recently presented research project in which complex organic molecules were discovered in the protoplanetary disk of the protostar V883 Orionis. This has now been announced by the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. The substances called ethylene glycol and glycol nitrile are therefore possible precursors of sugars and amino acids. Their detection and the discovery of other molecules indicate that the building blocks of life can be formed anywhere in space under the right conditions. The study has been accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal.
Evolutionary chain begins long before the formation of planets
The traces of the two complex organic molecules were found using the European radio telescope network ALMA. Similar substances have already been discovered in various places associated with the formation of stars and planets. Many of these so-called COM ("complex organic molecules") are considered to be precursors of important biological compounds, explains the research group. Until now, however, it had been assumed that the conditions during the transition of a cold protostar to a young star are so extreme that previously formed chemical compounds are destroyed in the process. They would therefore have to be formed again. However, this does not appear to be the case.
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"Protoplanetary disks inherit complex molecules from earlier stages, and their chemical evolution continues during the disk phase," explains co-author Kamber Schwarz. This also answers the question of how the formation of new molecules should have taken place in the first place, as the remaining time would have been too short. The discovery confirms that even in gas and dust clouds that precede stars, simple organic molecules can form, which become increasingly complex over time in a chain of development. In addition, not all signatures found in V883 Orionis have yet been broken down. It is possible that there are even more complex substances there. "Who knows what else we will find?" asks research leader Abubakar Fadul.
(mho)
