BBC Sky at Night

Crucial ingredient of life found by JWST

compound which helps to form the building blocks of life has been found around a distant star bytime. The molecule, methyl cation (CH3+), was uncovered in the planet-forming protoplanetary disc around a red dwarf star in the Orion Nebula. The molecule helps promote chemical reactions, allowing the formation of the complex carbon molecules all known life is based on.

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