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Giant Cloud of Methanol Found in Space

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the space-drinks dept.

kakos writes "Astronomers have recently discovered a giant cloud of methanol in our region of the Milky Way Galaxy. The cloud measures 463 billion kilometres across. Study of this cloud could lead scientists to a greater understanding of how star formation occurs. Furthermore, the abundance of organic molecules in interstellar space could also shed light on the chemical origins of life."

4 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Scientists described the cloud by mattjb0010 · · Score: 1, Informative

    You've obviously been smoking something else if you don't know there's a difference between methanol and menthol.

  2. Re:The state of general knowledge. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    What do you eat that makes you fart methanOL?

      H
    HCOH - methanol
      H

      H
    HCH - methane
      H

  3. Re:Post Petroleum economy solved! by drsmithy · · Score: 2, Informative
    Despite the fact that legal drugs were less dangerous" should read "despite the fact that legal drugs are arguably more dangerous.

    There's no "arguably" about it. Both alcohol and tobacco are demonstrably more dangerous than marijuana.

  4. What they don't say.... by phlegmofdiscontent · · Score: 3, Informative

    ...is that the cloud isn't made of just methanol. It just has enough methanol to be detectable from its radio emissions. Most of this cloud (which has been known for a long time) is made up of hydrogen and helium, just like most of the universe.