Scientists are making surprising discoveries in the universe, shedding new light on the origins of life. In addition to finding asteroid amino acidsscientists also discovered Fatty acids found on Mars, sulfur-containing molecules In interstellar space, and that Peptides are formed spontaneously In space. Recently, research has been conducted based on the following data: james webb space telescope (JWST) is small organic molecules in nearby galaxies.
The observations focused on an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (IRAS 07251-0248). Municipal Investigation Senior Consejo (CSIC) and several universities have found evidence of very large amounts of organic matter in both gas and solid form. Their discovery provides further evidence that the building blocks of life as we know it began in the universe.
IRAS 07251-0248 is particularly attractive to Webb because its core is obscured by vast amounts of gas and dust, making it extremely difficult to study the central supermassive black hole (SMBH) with conventional telescopes. In fact, space gas and dust absorb most of the light produced by the SMBH and its surrounding region, which is then radiated outward at infrared wavelengths (heat). Infrared telescopes like Webb’s can penetrate this dust and provide unique information about the core region, including the major chemical processes going on inside.
*Fake color image of the James Webb Space Telescope Near-Infrared Camera (JWST NIRCam) IRAS07251-0248. Credit: NASA/STScI/Mikulski Archive*
By combining data from Webb’s Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), the research team was able to characterize the abundance and temperature of numerous species within the galactic core. This included complex organic chemistry and hydrocarbons, the basic building blocks of life as we know it. In addition to detecting methyl radicals (CH3) for the first time in another galaxy, we also discovered benzene (C6H6), methane (CH4), acetylene (C2H2), diacetylene (C4H2), and triacetylene (C6H2).
In addition to these molecules being found in the gaseous state, large amounts of organic matter in solid form, such as carbonaceous particles and water ice, were also detected. CAB researcher and lead author Dr. Ismael García Bernete, a former Oxford University researcher, said: “We discovered unexpected chemical complexity, including much higher abundances than predicted by current theoretical models.” “This indicates that there must be a continuous source of carbon within these galactic nuclei that fuels this rich chemical network.”
Co-author Professor Dimitra Rigopoulou from the University of Oxford added: “Although small organic molecules do not exist in living cells, they may play an important role in the chemistry of prebiotics and could be a key step towards the formation of amino acids and nucleotides.”
The team’s analysis was supported by a theoretical model of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) developed by Oxford researchers involved in the study. Their results suggest that organic molecules cannot be explained solely by high temperatures or turbulent gas movements. Instead, they suggest that dust particles rich in PAHs and carbon were fragmented by cosmic ray exposure, thereby releasing these organics in gaseous form. This explanation is certainly consistent with the data, as cosmic rays are very common in active galactic nuclei (AGNs).
Their interpretation is also supported by studies of similar galaxies, which found a correlation between the amount of hydrocarbons in the gaseous state and the ionizing intensity of cosmic rays. In short, their results suggest that dusty galactic nuclei produce large amounts of organic molecules, thereby playing an important role in the chemical evolution of galaxies. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of JWST in exploring environments previously inaccessible to scientists.
Of particular interest, however, is how their work opens up new opportunities to study the formation and processing of organic molecules in extreme environments, which could lead to a deeper understanding of how galaxies are seeded with the building blocks of life. Combined with other studies showing that the ingredients of life can be found in space and emerge naturally, these discoveries are also encouraging for scientists engaged in the search for extraterrestrial life and civilizations.
Read more: oxford university, natural astronomy