James Webb Finds the Chemical Seeds of Life in a Distant Galaxy

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have detected a rich mix of organic molecules inside the dusty core of a distant galaxy.

The discovery includes rare hydrocarbons and the first-ever extragalactic sighting of the methyl radical, revealing these regions as powerful cosmic chemical factories.

Driven by cosmic rays, complex carbon structures are broken into smaller molecules that may act as precursors to life, offering new insight into chemical evolution hidden deep in the universe.

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