Organic Molecules in Space: A Key to Understanding Life’s Cosmic Origins
As researchers delve into the cosmos, organic molecules—the building blocks of life—emerge as a recurring theme, hinting at answers to some of science’s most profound questions. Recent studies, including data from missions like the European Space Agency’s Rosetta and NASA’s Osiris-Rex, continue to reveal the ubiquity of these compounds across the universe. According to reports, these discoveries shed light on how planets like Earth may have acquired the raw materials for life long before the Sun formed. Cosmic Origins of Organic Molecules As reported in Quanta Magazine, researchers have traced these molecules to interstellar clouds, comets and asteroids. These celestial objects serve as reservoirs for the compounds that constitute biological systems. Rosetta’s mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko detected 44 distinct organic molecules, including glycine—a precursor to proteins—and dimethyl sulfide, a compound associated with biological activity on Earth. Such findings emphasise that life’s precursors existed in space long before planets formed. Asteroids: Organic Richness Asteroids also harbor an abundance of organic materials. Studies of samples returned by Japan’s Hayabusa2 and NASA’s Osiris-Rex missions revealed tens of thousands …
