Researchers find organic molecules essential to biology in interstellar space
Q. Researchers have found organic molecule essential to biology in which point of the universe for the first time?- Published on 15 Jun 16a. Black hole
b. Nebula
c. Interstellar Space
d. Dark matter
ANSWER: Interstellar Space
Researchers have found an organic molecule essential to biology in interstellar space for the first time, which could help solve a long time mystery.
- Like humans, the organic molecules that make up the universe can lean left-handed or right-handed, a preference known as chirality. Most molecules on Earth lean left -- but scientists don't know why
- The recently discovered interstellar molecule is the most complex ever discovered outside our solar system, and the first chiral molecule detected in interstellar space.
- Scientists have found chiral molecules in meteorites on Earth and comets in our solar system, but never before in interstellar space.
- The molecule, propylene oxide, was found "near the center of our galaxy in an enormous star-forming cloud of dust and gas," the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) said in a statement.
- Scientists used an extremely sensitive radio telescope to detect the molecule. They presented their findings at the American Astronomical Society meeting in San Diego, California this week, and published a paper in the journal Science.
- The origin of chirality in molecules remains a mystery, but scientists are hopeful that the interstellar discovery could finally solve the puzzle by clearing up what ingredients formed the base of our solar system.
