Scientists have discovered one of the main components for life in space – the largest sulfur-containing organic molecule. This is the largest molecule ever discovered in interstellar space. Researchers call this discovery the “missing link” in understanding the origin of life chemistry.
Elchi.az reports that CNN reported this.
Sulfur is one of the 10 most abundant elements in the universe and is the most important component for amino acids, proteins and enzymes on Earth. Researchers have previously found sulfur-containing molecules in comets and meteorites, but large molecules have not been detected in interstellar space – an area filled with dust and gas clouds.
“Sulfur came to Earth from space a long time ago. But we have found very few sulfur-containing molecules in space, which is strange. It should have existed in large quantities, but it is difficult to find,” said Mitsunori Araki, the lead author of the study.
The molecule was discovered in the G+0.693-0.027 molecular cloud, which is located approximately 27,000 light-years from Earth, near the center of our galaxy. Molecular clouds are cold, dense clumps of dust and gas that play a role in the formation of molecules. They also act as cradles of stars, with gravity involved in the formation of stars.
“This is the largest sulfur-containing molecule ever discovered in space, consisting of 13 atoms. The largest molecule previously discovered consisted of only 9 atoms, but this was considered rare, because most sulfur-containing molecules consist of only 3, 4 or 5 atoms,” Araki emphasized.
The discovery of larger molecules is important because it helps to fill the existing gap between simple chemical processes in space and the more complex “building blocks of life” found in comets and meteorites.
“Sulfur is one of the six elements necessary for life on Earth, and may have been the most important component for ancient life forms, providing vital fuel to ancient microbes. The presence of complex organic molecules in the center of our galaxy suggests that biologically important materials may be everywhere in space. The discovery of such molecules so far from our planet suggests that similar processes may occur elsewhere, which further increases the likelihood of life on other planets,” said Sara Russell, professor of planetology at the London Natural History Museum.