New Findings Indicate that the Origin of Life Started in Space

While these molecules have been detected in space before, this is the first time scientists have observed them in a planet-forming disk around a protostar, which offers tantalizing clues about the origin of life in the Universe.

These findings also suggest that the abundance and complexity of COMs increase as protoplanetary disks evolve to become planetary systems, meaning that the building blocks of life are present in star systems from the earliest stages.

These findings also present the opportunity for follow-up investigations that look for molecules in other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Astronomers could identify even more evolved molecules like amino acids. If this theory is confirmed, it would reveal how the ingredients for life were distributed throughout the early Solar System, which could provide clues as to where else it might be found.