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Naphthalene Found In Outer Space

Posted by timothy on from the wake-me-up-when-they-find-remulac dept.

Adam Korbitz writes with an excerpt from his blog on an exciting discovery in space: "A team of researchers led by Spanish scientists has published their discovery of the complex molecule naphthalene in an interstellar star-forming cloud, indicating many prebiotic organic molecules necessary for life as we know it could have been present when our own solar system formed. According to the new research — published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters — the naphthalene molecules were discovered 700 light-years from Earth in a star-forming region of the constellation Perseus, in the direction of the star Cernis 52."

29 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. This is evidence of life. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Naphtalene--or better known as the primary ingredient in MOTHBALLS
     
    At last. We know the secret coordinates of Mothra. (S)he lies in the constellation Perseus. This may lead us to discover the origins of Godzilla.
     
    My girlfriend brought over brownies...

    1. Re:This is evidence of life. by DrMrLordX · · Score: 2, Funny

      Great, now all we need to do is stick it in my car's gas tank to improve fuel economy! Yay!

    2. Re:This is evidence of life. by AnomaliesAndrew · · Score: 5, Funny

      So not only are the universe and my grandparents both extremely old, but they both smell the same now... great.

      --
      Move all sig!
    3. Re:This is evidence of life. by Whiteox · · Score: 3, Funny

      Mothballs are exciting only to moths.
      A moth without balls is a eunuch.
      I would say that mothballs are extremely important to moths.

      --
      Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
    4. Re:This is evidence of life. by Laser+Dan · · Score: 5, Funny

      Mothballs are exciting only to moths.
      A moth without balls is a eunuch.
      I would say that mothballs are extremely important to moths.

      This is Slashdot so I can see I need to explain something.
      I apologise for using a term you may be unfamiliar with, but a moth without balls is called a female moth.

  2. No moths in outer space! by kybur · · Score: 5, Funny

    I always wondered why there were no moths in outer space. This explains everything!

    1. Re:No moths in outer space! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      And fruit flies, which people bring in with plants and produce.

      Except fruit flies aren't actually attracted or related to fruit in any way. Believe me, I looked it up in my gut.

    2. Re:No moths in outer space! by Kagura · · Score: 4, Funny

      Do you know you have more nerve endings in your gut than you have in your head? You can look it up. Now, I know some of you are going to say, "I did look it up, and that's not true." That's 'cause you looked it up in a book. Next time, look it up in your gut. I did. My gut tells me that's how our nervous system works.

      Also, I am AC.

    3. Re:No moths in outer space! by Hognoxious · · Score: 2, Funny

      You post on slashdot ... with a five figure user Id ... and you've had clothes that weren't polyester? Hand in your card!

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  3. Re:Unbeknownst to many by DrMrLordX · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess you could say the original draft of 2001: A Space Odyssey was mothballed? Hur hur!

  4. OIL! by sanman2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Time to invade

    1. Re:OIL! by linumax · · Score: 5, Funny

      Time to invade

      Time to Liberate(TM).

    2. Re:OIL! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Correcting somebody on the internet? Gasp! Why, you must be a grammar nazi! I am shocked and appalled!

        If there's any gasoline in your garage, then I am gonna liberate the shit outta you.

    3. Re:OIL! by Lord+Lode · · Score: 4, Funny

      Woot, just 1400 years of flying there and back and it's all ours on Earth!

  5. Re:me no RTFA by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    How exactly does one detect specific molecules, 700 light years away?

    Using Google, of course

         

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  6. Re:me no RTFA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    With one of these.
       
    .
     
    .
     
    .
     
    times 1E17

  7. I didn't know anybody lost it by Tablizer · · Score: 2, Funny

    nuf sed

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  8. Re:Unbeknownst to many by belmolis · · Score: 3, Funny

    The next thing they'll find is that that region is where all the defunct spaceships are kept.

  9. Re:Another win for panspermia theory by symbolset · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dewd. The girls that eat up panspermia are teh hawtness.

    Now escape mom's basement, k?

    /Some elements of post may be parent specific.

    --
    Help stamp out iliturcy.
  10. Re:me no RTFA by Kardos · · Score: 5, Funny

    with one of these: http://images.craveonline.com/article_imgs/Image/smelloscope.jpg

  11. Re:I don't believe it! by ufoolme · · Score: 4, Funny

    You obversely haven't played spore.

  12. Re:I don't understand by lrbays · · Score: 2, Funny

    It doesn't make a bit of difference, guys. The balls are inert.

  13. Re:The reason why this is important by Kagura · · Score: 4, Funny

    The chance of life evolving on a suitable planet is already 100%. ;)

  14. Re:Another win for panspermia theory by amRadioHed · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dewd. The girls that eat up panspermia are teh hawtness.

    Eww, I hope that's not the part specific to your parents. TMI.

    --
    We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
  15. that explains it by zoid.com · · Score: 2, Funny

    I knew I smelled something...

    --
    Zoid.com
  16. Re:The reason why this is important by JaumPaw · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now, now, no need to be cynical.

  17. Re:The reason why this is important by David+Gerard · · Score: 4, Funny

    Star Trek had silicon-based lifeforms. Silicone-based lifeforms are a bit more like this.

    --
    http://rocknerd.co.uk
  18. Re:ummmm /confused by Fear+the+Clam · · Score: 2, Funny

    When a electron leaves an excited state it emits a photon.

    Thus explaining the origin of photon-crusted socks in the hamper.

  19. Re:The reason why this is important by David+Gerard · · Score: 2, Funny

    That was the sixties! The breasts were real then!

    --
    http://rocknerd.co.uk