From lab to space: Discovery of a new organic molecule in an interstellar molecular cloud
Wednesday, June 17, 2020 - 12:10
in Physics & Chemistry
Laboratory experiments performed at the Center for Astrochemical Studies (CAS) of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) in Munich, together with astronomical observations conducted by the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF), lead to the identification of a new molecule in the molecular cloud known as G+0.693-0.027, close to the galactic center. The newly discovered molecule is called propargylimine: according to the experts, this chemical species may play a fundamental role in the formation of amino acids, among the key ingredients for life as we know it.