Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Long before Earth formed, icy clouds in deep space brewed key molecules for life—far from any star.
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At near absolute zero, simple gases exposed to cosmic rays transformed into complex acids essential to metabolism.
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Researchers recreated star-forming conditions to show how life’s chemistry could begin in deep space.
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Carboxylic acids like those in the Krebs cycle were formed—matching compounds in meteorites like Ryugu.
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Molecules found in ancient space rocks align with lab-simulated acids, suggesting extraterrestrial seeding.
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These molecules likely hitched rides on comets and asteroids, delivering life’s ingredients to newborn Earth.
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The same chemical pathways could spark life beyond Earth—anywhere conditions mirror interstellar space.
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This work redefines life’s timeline—chemical evolution in space may have started millions of years early.
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From the labs of Hawaiʻi, scientists are reshaping astrobiology by simulating the chemistry of the stars.
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