Simulating nature's cosmic laboratory, one helium droplet at a time
Tuesday, March 26, 2019 - 08:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Two astronomers from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and from the University of Jena have found an elegant new method to measure the energy of simple chemical reactions, under similar conditions as those encountered by atoms and molecules in the early solar system. Their method promises accurate measurements of reaction energies that can be used to understand chemical reactions under space conditions – including those reactions that were responsible of creating organic chemicals as the raw material for the development of life.