Scientists at the Atacama Large Submillimeter Array have made a groundbreaking discovery, finding methanol in the protoplanetary disk around a distant star called HD 100453. Located 330 light-years from Earth, this young star is massive and has an accretion disk that is both wider and hotter than those of other observed stars.
The presence of methanol suggests that biological evolution may have already begun on this planet, which could be exciting news for astrobiologists. Methanol is a crucial element in biological processes, but its consumption can lead to rapid death when ingested as vodka.
Researchers detected methanol using the spectrograph, a device that operates at longer wavelengths than ordinary light, making it possible to study the protoplanetary disk in unprecedented detail. The discovery was significant because it revealed molecules containing rare isotopes of atoms, which is unusual and could indicate the presence of ordinary methanol.
The signal increased strongly near the edge of the disk, where most of the matter is concentrated at a distance of over 2 billion kilometers from the star – roughly 16 times the distance between Earth and the Sun. This finding raises intriguing questions about the possibility of complex molecules existing in this system, potentially even evidence that comets may have brought life to our planet.
The discovery provides new insights into the chemistry of protoplanetary disks and has significant implications for understanding the origins of life beyond Earth.
Source: https://universemagazine.com/en/methanol-is-found-in-the-protoplanetary-disk-of-another-star