Before The Aliens, The Amino Acids
Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science have developed a new method to identify biological signatures in organic material found in space. This approach aims to distinguish true signs of life from non-biological 'organic gunk' found on moons or planets.
Why it matters
This discovery provides a more reliable tool for future space missions to detect extraterrestrial life, reducing the risk of false positives in chemical analysis.
Before any wrinkled, wide-eyed creature from a distant civilization asks to be taken home, the first success in the search for life beyond Earth might be more prosaic. A clue could emerge from a handful of molecules in a Martian rock, a grain of ice from a moon of Jupiter or Saturn or a plume rising from an ocean sealed beneath a frozen shell.
The article is a straightforward report on a scientific study published in Nature Astronomy.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in