God of the gaps

Post Reply New Topic

In today's issue of the journal Nature, astronomers report that organic compounds of unexpected complexity exist throughout the Universe. The results suggest that complex organic compounds are not the sole domain of life but can be made naturally by stars.

Prof. Sun Kwok and Dr. Yong Zhang of the University of Hong Kong show that an organic substance commonly found throughout the Universe contains a mixture of aromatic (ring-like) and aliphatic (chain-like) components. The compounds are so complex that their chemical structures resemble those of coal and petroleum. Since coal and oil are remnants of ancient life, this type of organic matter was thought to arise only from living organisms. The team's discovery suggests that complex organic compounds can be synthesized in space even when no life forms are present.

The researchers investigated an unsolved phenomenon: a set of infrared emissions detected in stars, interstellar space, and galaxies. These spectral signatures are known as "Unidentified Infrared Emission features". For over two decades, the most commonly accepted theory on the origin of these signatures has been that they come from simple organic molecules made of carbon and hydrogen atoms, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules. From observations taken by the Infrared Space Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope, Kwok and Zhang showed that the astronomical spectra have features that cannot be explained by PAH molecules. Instead, the team proposes that the substances generating these infrared emissions have chemical structures that are much more complex. By analyzing spectra of star dust formed in exploding stars called novae, they show that stars are making these complex organic compounds on extremely short time scales of weeks.

Not only are stars producing this complex organic matter, they are also ejecting it into the general interstellar space, the region between stars. The work supports an earlier idea proposed by Kwok that old stars are molecular factories capable of manufacturing organic compounds. "Our work has shown that stars have no problem making complex organic compounds under near-vacuum conditions," says Kwok. "Theoretically, this is impossible, but observationally we can see it happening."

Most interestingly, this organic star dust is similar in structure to complex organic compounds found in meteorites. Since meteorites are remnants of the early Solar System, the findings raise the possibility that stars enriched the early Solar System with organic compounds. The early Earth was subjected to severe bombardments by comets and asteroids, which potentially could have carried organic star dust. Whether these delivered organic compounds played any role in the development of life on Earth remains an open question.

Also, how about the "Theoretically, this is impossible, but observationally we can see it happening." part in this context!

So sun worshippers were actually onto something.

This is very interesting, I can't wait to see how scientists will explain it.

I kinda been suspecting that this was the case all along (I lack expert knowledge on the subject and I freely admit it, if anyone could shed some light please do) but I'm definitely highly anticipating peer review of this study. my first impression is that this piece of news has the potential to make the somewhat-religious folk just as happy as it makes me happy, if it's true... and that's sort of unsettling.

So sun worshippers were actually onto something.

There are modern sun cults. So it's really are, not were.

I think most of the Abrahamic religions incorporated sun worship, folded it into the new stuff like so much cake, and then people forgot what it meant.

Maybe the ancients already knew what this article is telling us today.

This brings additional meaning to the meme that we're all just space dust.

This doesn't impact much on my religion.

I think you need to be more specific about which religions. Christians already worship the 'sun of god'

Time for a pagan revival. Gimme that old time religion.

Christians of the American kind,