Discovery: Cosmic Dust Contains Organic Matter from Stars (Space.com)

**Oneironaut Zero** · 10-31-2011 07:31 AM

Discovery: Cosmic Dust Contains Organic Matter from Stars | Star Dust, Supernovas & Stellar Evolution | Meteorites & Complex Organic Compounds | Space.com

Awesome stuff. Thought I'd share.

**Original Poster** · 10-31-2011 10:01 AM

Wait, so stars are constantly producing complex organic structures?

No Effin Way!

**cmind** · 10-31-2011 04:20 PM

I call bullshit. Unless these are really really really cold stars.

**tommo** · 11-04-2011 06:42 AM

Fucking awesome.

That means, if true, we could narrow down the search for life even further.

Looking only for planets which have a certain-aged star near them.
As well as, in the nearer future, making estimates as to how many planets could have life on them!

WOO!

**Xei** · 11-04-2011 01:55 PM

How would that work? As far as I'm aware, the first organic molecules on Earth are still thought to have largely arisen in the test tube that was Earth's early atmosphere. We know by experiment that the atmosphere was able to do this. If you discount planets which didn't have the right star nearby at the time of formation (and how you're supposed to do that I have no idea), you probably discount the only example of life we know.

**tommo** · 11-04-2011 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by Xei

How would that work? As far as I'm aware, the first organic molecules on Earth are still thought to have largely arisen in the test tube that was Earth's early atmosphere. We know by experiment that the atmosphere was able to do this. If you discount planets which didn't have the right star nearby at the time of formation (and how you're supposed to do that I have no idea), you probably discount the only example of life we know.

Ummmm.... what?
We don't have a star nearby?

Also, just because they can arise from Earth, doesn't mean that's the only way.

**SnakeCharmer** · 11-04-2011 07:30 PM

It's not surprising. I remember reading that the center of our galaxy tastes like raspberries due to all organic molecules floating around.

**Xei** · 11-05-2011 04:23 AM

Exactly, thanks for discrediting your nonsensical post.

**Ne-yo** · 11-05-2011 04:40 AM

lol.. walked right into that one.

**tommo** · 11-05-2011 05:21 AM

I don't get it.
Do you think the Sun is not a star?

**Wayfaerer** · 11-05-2011 06:03 AM

This study is about stars in their planetary nebula phase of evolution being found to create organic molecules, this is after the star becomes a red giant. Our sun is nowhere near this phase and the study finds no evidence for organic molecules being ejected by stars like our sun.

**tommo** · 11-05-2011 06:16 AM

Oh, I either missed that part or forgot by the time I replied.
Well I suppose then you'd have to figure out how far the molecules have been ejected from planetary nebulae and then find the Earth like planets in that trajectory.

**Wayfaerer** · 11-05-2011 06:53 AM

The organic molecules in the nebula could contribute to an interstellar cloud which forms another solar system with earth-like planets. This is how it's thought our solar system was formed. From looking at that article, it doesn't seem like the organic molecules are actually ejected but created in the already ejected circumstellar environment. This is interesting but it doesn't imply anything too new. Interstellar clouds, which are made from the ejections of stars, have been known to be made of organic molecules, just a little earlier than we thought this study suggests.