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Sweet Molecule Could Lead Us To Alien Life
Matt_dk writes "Scientists have detected an organic sugar molecule that is directly linked to the origin of life in a region of our galaxy where habitable planets could exist. The international team of researchers used the IRAM radio telescope in France to detect the molecule in a massive star forming region of space, some 26,000 light years from Earth."
...sweet
Well, you know how things are. For simplification "the presence of..." or the "signature of" or whatever way you want to phrase it is dropped and implied. It's not incorrect to state something like "we detected the presence of the molecule H2O..." (for example). But you'd not say that, because H2O is a well-known molecule. You'd say something like "we detected H2O". If H2O was not a well-known molecule, then I guess you might say something like "we detected the molecule H2O" to define which molecule you detected.
I tried but they're all at home leveling up to 80.
I'm not missing the point. Detecting a molecule is very different to detecting the molecule. The word "molecule" does not have to be singular. I realise the GP was probably trying to be funny, or over-pedantic, but the semantics of the summary and the Prof quoted in the story do make sense and obviously does not mean a single molecule.
That a Milky Way has sugar in it
A massive star forming region, hardly seems a conducive place for life to form.
This just in - scientists have also discovered high fructose corn syrup, which could lead us to fat, ugly alien life.
By the light spectrum it emits.
All molecules emit a very precise combination (or individual frequency) of light frequencies when enough energy is added to them.
Think of different pure wavelengths of light as notes on a piano. Each unique atom and molecule produces it's own unique chord when energy is added.
Bavarian Purity Law of Rice Krispie Squares: Rice Krispies, Marshmallows, Butter, Vanilla.
You mean People Eating Tasty Aliens?
Similar to the upcoming US election results
This is not a joking matter.
We'd better be concerned whether or not there is an AETP (Aliens for the Ethical Treatment of Pets) because, you know, we'll make great pets.
It's the Vogons. Don't let them read their poems to you. Run!
Stranger: Well, it isn't all of us that are made for wild beasts, and that's what it's got to be. That's why I watched you. Watched you. All these little office workers that used to live in these houses -- they'd be no good. They haven't any stuff to 'em. They just used to run off to work. I've seen hundreds of 'em, running wild to catch their commuters' train in the morning for fear that they'd get canned if they didn't; running back at night afraid that they won't be in time for dinner. Lives insured and a little invested in case of accidents. Yeah, and on Sundays, worried about the hereafter. The Martians will be a godsend for those guys. Nice roomy cages, good food, careful breeding, no worries. Yeah, after a week or so chasing about the fields on empty stomachs they'll come and be glad to be caught.
Pierson: You've thought it all out, haven't you?
Stranger: Sure, you bet I have! And that isn't all. These Martians will make pets of some of them, train 'em to do tricks. Who knows? Get sentimental over the pet boy who grew up and had to be killed. Yeah. And some, maybe, they'll train to hunt us.
Pierson: No, that's impossible. No human being....
Stranger: Yes they will. There's men who'll do it gladly. If one of them ever comes after me, why....
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
"The observations confirmed the presence of three lines of glycolaldegyde towards the most central part of the core of the region"
Three lines?
Umm I hate to mention it, but that's not sugar . . .
Pug
An Invisible Entity of Vast Power whose existence must be taken on faith alone: Liberal Media
Just because a substance is implicated in a particular phenomenon does not mean that the phenomenon is present where ever that substance is. There are compounds that are human neuromodulators that are also found in plants. Nobody would seriously take this to mean plants require neuromodulators.
TFA even states that the same compound was found in a region of space NOT likely to be conducive to the formation of life. TFA goes on blithely unaware of this statement before and after its appearance, because to be otherwise accurate TFA would have to simply state an organic compound found in some regions of space has been found in another.
"I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid." -- Bishop 341-B