Space Sugar Discovered In Binary System Star

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Space Sugar Discovered In Binary System Star

Posted by timothy on Saturday September 1, 2012 @11:10PM from the sweetness-and-light dept.

SchrodingerZ writes "Sweet tooths rejoice! 400 light years from Earth in the constellation Ophiuchus, sugar molecules have been confirmed in a gas cloud surrounding a young star. The star, IRAS 16293-2422, though early in its life is relativity close to the size of our Sun. It is part of a Binary star system. '"In the disk of gas and dust surrounding this newly formed star, we found glycolaldehyde, which is a simple form of sugar, not much different to the sugar we put in coffee," study lead author Jes Jorgensen, of the Niels Bohr Institute in Denmark, said in a statement.' Glycolaldehyde has been found before in space, but never this close to a Sun-like planet. In fact 'the molecules are about the same distance away from the star as the planet Uranus is from our sun.' This discovery proves that the building blocks of life could have possibly existed in the earlier parts of our own solar system. This particular sugar reacts with propenal to form ribose, which is a major component for organic life on Earth."

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Sweet! by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2012-09-01 23:14 · Score: 2, Funny

The creationists will need something to sugar the pill.

--
Ezekiel 23:20
1. Re:Sweet! by MysteriousPreacher · 2012-09-01 23:54 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  God spilt the sugar when he was making tea in Russell's Teapot.
  
  --
  -- Using the preview button since 2005
2. Re:Sweet! by snakeplissken · 2012-09-02 02:36 · Score: 0
  
  made a bum moderation, posting to undo
  snake
3. Re:Sweet! by MysteriousPreacher · 2012-09-02 04:14 · Score: 1
  
  Cheers. Nice username.
  
  --
  -- Using the preview button since 2005
4. Re:Sweet! by AmonTheMetalhead · 2012-09-02 10:22 · Score: 1
  
  I thought you were dead
Sweeet! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:14 · Score: -1

hohum... :)
I have a proposal! by For+a+Free+Internet · 2012-09-01 23:16 · Score: -1

Since there can be life in outer space, and since the capitalist owners of all the means of production can't seem to make a living employing us workers any more except by impoverishing us and stealing the last crust of bread from our mouths, we should send all the capitalists on a big rocket to their new home over there on that star, away from all us pesky workers and our goddamn unions, and we will abolish private property and inaugurate the dawn of the communist future! Any takers?

--
UNITE with the Campaign for a Free Internet because today, our future begins with tomorrow!
1. Re:I have a proposal! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:56 · Score: 0
  
  Since there can be life in outer space, and since the capitalist owners of all the means of production can't seem to make a living employing us workers any more except by impoverishing us and stealing the last crust of bread from our mouths, we should send all the capitalists on a big rocket to their new home over there on that star, away from all us pesky workers and our goddamn unions, and we will abolish private property and inaugurate the dawn of the communist future! Any takers?
  I agree with this.
  Also: not a sockpuppet. Not at all, I am not, I repeat NOT a sock puppet of For a Free Internet nor in any way associated with same.
  buttgoat. goatbutt. cia sells drugs.
2. Re:I have a proposal! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 00:06 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not a sock puppet either, but we really should send the Italians off on that rocket as well.
  Say hi to Laura
3. Re:I have a proposal! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 00:11 · Score: 0
  
  Since there can be life in outer space, and since the capitalist owners of all the means of production can't seem to make a living employing us workers any more except by impoverishing us and stealing the last crust of bread from our mouths, we should send all the capitalists on a big rocket to their new home over there on that star, away from all us pesky workers and our goddamn unions, and we will abolish private property and inaugurate the dawn of the communist future! Any takers?
  I agree with this.
  Also: not a sockpuppet. Not at all, I am not, I repeat NOT a sock puppet of For a Free Internet nor in any way associated with same.
  buttgoat. goatbutt. cia sells drugs.
  I also agree with this. I am not a sockpuppet and I am not creating false interest.
  no sir-ee.
4. Re:I have a proposal! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 03:58 · Score: 0
  
  Since there can be life in outer space, and since the capitalist owners of all the means of production can't seem to make a living employing us workers any more except by impoverishing us and stealing the last crust of bread from our mouths, we should send all the capitalists on a big rocket to their new home over there on that star, away from all us pesky workers and our goddamn unions, and we will abolish private property and inaugurate the dawn of the communist future! Any takers?
  Everything said here is correct.
Not actually sweet by kraln · 2012-09-01 23:17 · Score: 5, Informative

If the submitter had actually read the article, he'd know that while the molecules in question *are* sugar, they *are not* sweet and in fact are arguably not even saccharides.
1. Re:Not actually sweet by Gryle · 2012-09-02 01:15 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Damn, and I was looking forward to the first interstellar Moon Pies, Star Crunches, and Cosmic Brownies!
  
  --
  Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not entirely sure about the universe - Einstein
2. Re:Not actually sweet by MysteriousPreacher · 2012-09-02 01:44 · Score: 1
  
  His mention of "sweet tooths" jumping for joy is probably a joke. The trek to the fridge to fetch another tub of Chunky Munky seems nothing compared to a trip of several hundred light years.
  See this article for additional guidance.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humor
  
  --
  -- Using the preview button since 2005
3. Re:Not actually sweet by jamstar7 · 2012-09-02 02:46 · Score: 1
  
  Naw. We just gotta find us some space yeast and let the Universe make us space beer!!!
  
  --
  Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
4. Re:Not actually sweet by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 03:36 · Score: 0
  
  Way to sour an otherwise good story!
5. Re:Not actually sweet by Samantha+Wright · 2012-09-02 04:30 · Score: 2
  
  Personally, I'm still hung up on what a "sun-like planet" is. Sounds kinda... balmy.
  
  --
  Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
6. Re:Not actually sweet by Muros · 2012-09-02 11:09 · Score: 1
  
  Nature is hard at work on the issue. http://www.labnews.co.uk/news/giant-cloud-of-space-alcohol-found/
7. Re:Not actually sweet by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 11:31 · Score: 0
  
  Listen, we need to make this story relatable to people, so the line "this is the same stuff you put on your coffee, we're just normal guys like you who happen to look through a telescope for aliving" plays great. Shut up.
8. Re:Not actually sweet by Kittenman · 2012-09-02 13:13 · Score: 1
  
  His mention of "sweet tooths" jumping for joy is probably a joke. The trek to the fridge to fetch another tub of Chunky Munky seems nothing compared to a trip of several hundred light years.
  See this article for additional guidance.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humor
  Trek... space ... I see what you did there...
  
  --
  "The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes" - Winston Churchill
Why? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:18 · Score: 0, Redundant

Why did you even post this?
"hohum... :)"?
You didn't get first post, and your post is worthless to boot.
Please kill yourself at the earliest possible opportunity.
that sugar is from by kiep · 2012-09-01 23:18 · Score: 1

destroyed sugar transport
1. Re:that sugar is from by Dunbal · 2012-09-01 23:29 · Score: 2
  
  I love hauler spawns.
  
  --
  Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
2. Re:that sugar is from by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:36 · Score: 1
  
  So that's where all that maple syrup ended up!
3. Re:that sugar is from by slick7 · 2012-09-02 02:33 · Score: 1
  
  destroyed sugar transport
  Was it arriving or departing Earth? Damn space pirates!
  
  --
  The mind conceives, the body achieves, the spirit manifests.
4. Re:that sugar is from by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 05:07 · Score: 1
  
  You'd better not do that in high-sec space.
5. Re:that sugar is from by Dunbal · 2012-09-03 07:28 · Score: 1
  
  High sec is a filthy disgusting place, full of neutrals.
  
  --
  Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
yawn by Hazel+Bergeron · 2012-09-01 23:19 · Score: -1, Flamebait

The great thing about all these discoveries so far far away is that they're really hard to confirm/falsify.
Oh, the building blocks of life - how exciting! This could mean.. uh... that we need more grant money, please! Work harder, proles!
1. Re:yawn by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:24 · Score: 0
  
  The great thing about all these discoveries so far far away is that they're really hard to confirm/falsify.
  Oh, the building blocks of life - how exciting! This could mean.. uh... that we need more grant money, please! Work harder, proles!
  Yes, we should only work on the things which are really easy, because nobody has done those before, and because the things which are currently really hard will become really easy if we just leave them alone for a while.
2. Re:yawn by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:51 · Score: 0
  
  You're an ignorant moron.
  These findings are usually independently confirmed/refuted by peers. It's the scientific method which separates morons like you from intelligent life.
  Now, go back to sucking the comforting cock of your pastor while your swamp daddy pushes your putty from behind.
3. Re:yawn by khallow · 2012-09-01 23:57 · Score: 2
  
  It is worth noting that this effect does actually happen to some degree. For example, the radio telescope array that they use, includes a great deal of computing power for controlling the system and signal and image processing. That technology didn't need to be independently developed from scratch.
  
  As to cost, that system apparently costs more than a billion dollars. But I doubt that the system would have been the same order of magnitude, should one have developed it in 1970 (with the same capabilities as the current one) instead of now. Similarly, I imagine we'll find that computing technology and manufacture/construction would have advanced in the next twenty years to make the project somewhat easier and cheaper to do twenty years from now.
  
  The real issue to such things is that there is a time value to research and development. Doing and learning things now does have greater value than doing those things twenty years from now.
4. Re:yawn by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 00:01 · Score: 0
  
  It is worth noting that this effect does actually happen to some degree. For example, the radio telescope array that they use, includes a great deal of computing power for controlling the system and signal and image processing. That technology didn't need to be independently developed from scratch.
  Right, but developing that computing power probably wasn't a stroll in the park either. I get your point: that if you don't tackle Problem A, then developments from the solution from Problem B can make solving Problem A easier later on. Thing is though, you've still got to solve Problem B to do that, which equally probably wasn't trivial.
  You've got to start tackling the hard problems sooner or later if you want to make decent progess.
5. Re:yawn by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 00:20 · Score: -1
  
  You're an ignorant moron.
  ignorant - Lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about something in particular: "ignorant of astronomy".
  moron - Psychology . (no longer in technical use; considered offensive) a person of borderline intelligence in a former and discarded classification of mental retardation, having an intelligence quotient of 50 to 69.
  Therefore, if one is a moron, then it is presumed that they'd be ignorant also.
  You sir, are redundant.
  redundant - characterized by verbosity or unnecessary repetition in expressing ideas
6. Re:yawn by khallow · 2012-09-02 00:53 · Score: 1
  
  Thing is though, you've still got to solve Problem B to do that, which equally probably wasn't trivial.
  The point is that you were going to solve Problem B anyway. For example, I think we'll see a decline in the cost of space-based science missions just due to manufacture improvements on Earth (and eventually the entry of private charity into that endeavor).
7. Re:yawn by Hazel+Bergeron · 2012-09-02 01:03 · Score: 0
  
  Unfortunately, these sorts of results are not usually confirmed independently, you dalliant goatherder.
8. Re:yawn by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 01:50 · Score: 0
  
  Confirmed with a different telescope? Do you suspect it's often a case of measurement error?
9. Re:yawn by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 02:02 · Score: 0
  
  ...you dalliant goatherder.
  ... dalliant goatherder? Negative nerd points for a missing "scruffy looking nerfherder"
10. Re:yawn by hazah · 2012-09-02 04:06 · Score: 1
  
  And you're not?
11. Re:yawn by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 07:14 · Score: 0
  
  You mean like when other researchers look at the same system now that they know there are organics there, and hope to find more complex ones? That happens all the time, but typically only makes the news when they find a new compound there that wasn't seen before.
12. Re:yawn by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 20:26 · Score: 0
  
  As you have just clearly demonstrated with your moronic post, the two are not mutually exclusive.
Reacts with propenal by Dunbal · 2012-09-01 23:21 · Score: 1

To form ribose, which is necessary for life?
Yeah, but the propenal reaction is not exactly how "life" does it.

--
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
1. Re:Reacts with propenal by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:34 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  I feed my bacteria in the lab plenty of artificially synthesised compounds and they don't give a damn. Based on life as we know it, if it's availabe and it can use it then life will usually find some way of taking it up regardless of source.
  The better question is do the chemicals react to form ribose under the conditions in space, or can they survive the transfer to somewhere they will react?
2. Re:Reacts with propenal by Forty+Two+Tenfold · 2012-09-02 00:38 · Score: 2
  
  Yeah, but the propenal reaction is not exactly how "life" does it.
  Especially when it's not "life" yet. Got it?
  
  --
  Upward mobility is a slippery slope - the higher you climb the more you show your ass.
3. Re:Reacts with propenal by RockDoctor · 2012-09-03 11:38 · Score: 1
  
  I'm trying to remember the references for the nylon-precursor - eating bacterium. If you'd not posted AC, I'd consider looking harder. It exists ; find it.
  
  --
  Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
Dang it! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:27 · Score: 0

Is there nowhere in the universe where it's safe for me to diet???
NOW ALL WE NEED IS SOME SPACE TEA !! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-01 23:42 · Score: 1

with space ice, some space air (20% should do) and sure, why not, a few space girls, and we can have a space party like it's space 1999 !!
I would never socialize with a Slashdot user! by alfs+boner · 2012-09-01 23:57 · Score: -1

The title says it all: I would never willingly associate myself with the socially-retarded "aspies," or the forever-alone 40-year-old virgins that hang out here. Sorry guys, there's a reason nobody likes you :/

--
Listen p*ssy. I'm sure your the same homo that posted earlier about alf's boner and you just want to remain anonymous fo
Imagine this... by MindPrison · 2012-09-02 00:00 · Score: 2

...your average Brit, sitting there sipping his coffee or tea, listening to BBC morning news...
"And we interrupt this program to bring you the following news: A huge lump of sugar is headed towards planet earth, yes...that is where you and I live".
The unassuming average Brit, just sitting there, sipping on his morning coffee when he yet again is interrupted by a voice saying: "More sugar dear?" ...you all know where I am going with this.

--
What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
1. Re:Imagine this... by Teun · 2012-09-02 01:23 · Score: 0
  
  Yep I see, them aliens have rotten teeth too.
  
  --
  "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
2. Re:Imagine this... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 05:10 · Score: 0
  
  This summer... only one brit stands between us and the end of the world. Can he and his cup of tea survive?
3. Re:Imagine this... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 08:57 · Score: 0
  
  I'm sorry. Coffee or tea? Coffee?. Damn colonials.
Oh great! by MindPrison · 2012-09-02 00:06 · Score: 1

As if we didn't have enough golf-club-gold-member yacht owning dentists in this world.
Imagine vampires turning people into more vampires, now...dentists will give birth to even more dentists...

--
What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
Space pirates rejoice! by Kazymyr · 2012-09-02 00:12 · Score: 2

If there's sugar, someone will surely make rum out of it. We'll have plenty of space grog. Arrr!

--
I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet -Stanislaw Lem
spice mines of kessel by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 00:24 · Score: -1

guess han solo didnt make his last run.....
Bah. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 00:28 · Score: 0

A sugar molecule is as far from an amoeba as a piece of quartz frim a supercomputer. Insisting that living things came from nonliving matter by random processes is absurd. Anyone who thinks that is being far more dogmatic than the creationists they stubbornly ridicule.
1. Re:Bah. by Black+Parrot · 2012-09-02 01:41 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  A sugar molecule is as far from an amoeba as a piece of quartz frim a supercomputer. Insisting that living things came from nonliving matter by random processes is absurd. Anyone who thinks that is being far more dogmatic than the creationists they stubbornly ridicule.
  Where to start...
  Amino acids are found in deep space, not exactly a prime spot for the development of life.
  We know that living things came from nonliving matter (and energy), because the universe was once in a state where living matter could not exist, yet now living matter is rife in at least one place.
  The universe and its processes are not entirely random. If they were, this sugar would not exist either.
  It's the very opposite of "dogmatic" to base your views on evidence.
  Yours might have been an OK troll the first day the internet existed, but now it's as far from "nice troll" as a sugar molecule is from an amoeba.
  
  --
  Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
2. Re:Bah. by hazah · 2012-09-02 04:10 · Score: 1
  
  You're not even a new kind of stupid.
3. Re:Bah. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 16:50 · Score: 0
  
  Where to start...
  Probably best to not.
4. Re:Bah. by ChetOS.net · 2012-09-04 04:50 · Score: 1
  
  We know life comes from non-life becase we are here. Yea for scientific method!
  
  --
  "If God had intended us to walk he would not have invented roller skates." -- Willy Wonka
Ur-Quan threat detected by Pav · 2012-09-02 00:41 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Aren't the Ur-Quan meant to come from that part of space? We are so screwed. ;)
BTW, Star Control II (or the open source Ur-Quan Masters) is a great game and is part of many Linux repos, and also has Win32 binaries. Download it plus a cheat map (it's too hard otherwise) and lose a weekend... it's a great game, universe and story, and it has a quirky sense of humour. Make sure you download the full music and speech, and persist through the early game - it's a little slow.
Yay! by greyblack · 2012-09-02 01:35 · Score: 3, Funny

Just need some yeast and we'll have one hell of a party star!

--
Everybody uses broad generalizations.
The Meaning Of Life by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 02:00 · Score: 0

I always knew the meaning of life was sweet and tasty.
Binary star? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 02:22 · Score: 0

Binary Solo!
0000001 00000011 000000111 0000001111
"...never this close to a Sun like planet..." by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 02:28 · Score: 1

"Glycolaldehyde has been found before in space, but never this close to a Sun-like planet."
Gentlemen. We have found the planet of heaven.
1. Re:"...never this close to a Sun like planet..." by Kahlandad · 2012-09-02 20:30 · Score: 1
  
  Gentlemen, we have found the post of stupid.
"Space Sugar" by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · 2012-09-02 03:39 · Score: 0

"Space Sugar" would make a great name for a healer Jedi chick on Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO.
"Pour a little sugar on me honey!
Pour a little sugar on me baby!"
Oh, wait. I haven't played that game in 3 months. n/m

--
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Ribose as a major component for organic life? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 03:44 · Score: 0

Since when is ribose "a major component for organic life on Earth"? Central—yes; but major? That would be Glucose, I think ...
1. Re:Ribose as a major component for organic life? by drooling-dog · 2012-09-02 04:30 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Ribose is an important component of RNA (and deoxy-ribose of DNA), so yeah, I'd say it's pretty central to life.
2. Re:Ribose as a major component for organic life? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 04:37 · Score: 0
  
  RNA World
  Mayhaps more important than you think.
3. Re:Ribose as a major component for organic life? by Electricity+Likes+Me · 2012-09-02 04:42 · Score: 1
  
  And notably, you can make enzymes from RNA as well - which is one of the hypothesized ways that life might've bootstrapped itself from the primordial ooze in the first place. There are a lot of RNAzymes floating around in your cellular nuclei right now.
4. Re:Ribose as a major component for organic life? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 08:17 · Score: 1
  
  I'd say it's pretty central to life
  That's what I said (I'm the AC from above). The article said it was only "major".
5. Re:Ribose as a major component for organic life? by drooling-dog · 2012-09-02 14:18 · Score: 1
  
  Why yes, I now see that you did. You are hereby vindicated!
6. Re:Ribose as a major component for organic life? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-03 06:12 · Score: 0
  
  This day be praised! This is the day of vindication of our submissive Anonymous Cowardshipness!
  Devotedly,
  AC
  --
  That's one small step for deoxyribose, a giant leap for Anonymous Cowards.
Sugar in space? Oh no! by excelsior_gr · 2012-09-02 03:49 · Score: 1

Quick! Somebody clean this mess up before space-flies gather on top of it.
1. Re:Sugar in space? Oh no! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 04:53 · Score: 0
  
  There's also a planet filled with turkey stuffing.
2. Re:Sugar in space? Oh no! by Sulphur · 2012-09-02 10:25 · Score: 1
  
  Quick! Somebody clean this mess up before space-flies gather on top of it.
  It may indicate Space Diabetes.
It's a clue... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 03:53 · Score: 0

That's where all the Maple Syrup went!!
Coffee is not meant to be sweet by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 06:58 · Score: 0

Sugar? In coffee?
What the hell is wrong with these people?
1. Re:Coffee is not meant to be sweet by VortexCortex · 2012-09-02 10:28 · Score: 1
  
  Sugar? In coffee? What the hell is wrong with these people?
  Life is not meant to exist. Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke, I say.
Caramel! by linatux · 2012-09-02 10:26 · Score: 1

Sugar that close to a sun must be caramelised - mmmmmm
old news! by Tastecicles · 2012-09-02 13:01 · Score: 2

This is a rehash of a paper published in November 2008 (Beltran, et. al.). By the way, glucolaldehyde is NOT a sugar, it is a diose. Well, the only diose.

--
Operation Guillotine is in effect.
1. Re:old news! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-03 08:54 · Score: 0
  
  It's not old news. This molecule hasn't been observed in this object before (so it's new) and they've also managed to pin down the location much better (Beltran et al., 2009 found an upper limit to the distance from the massive stellar core of 10^4 AU). This is definitely very different because it's 25 AU away from a Sun-like star. Being closer to the star means warmer temperatures which could mean different formation processes are involved and since this is 25 AU away and falling in toward the stars, it could plausibly play a role in the development of life in this system. Plus it's a Sun-like star which is generally more interesting when it comes to life because lower mass stars live longer.
  Oh, and by the way, Beltran et al. (2009) wasn't the first detection of this molecule in space either, it was first found by Hollis et al. toward source SgrB2(N) in 2000.
So that's where by TuxWithoutPants · 2012-09-02 13:30 · Score: 1

Willy Wonka went after he retired.
You would not want to swallow this stuff by L.+J.+Beauregard · 2012-09-02 14:15 · Score: 2

Glycolaldehyde is the first step in the metabolism of ethylene glycol, and likewise will be metabolized to oxalic acid, which is the poison in rhubarb.

--
Ooh, moderator points! Five more idjits go to Minus One Hell!
Delendae sunt RIAA, MPAA et Windoze
Surprised this hasn't been said yet by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-02 15:58 · Score: 0

. . . so I'll have to do it:
I, for one, welcome our new monosaccharide overlords!
1. Re:Surprised this hasn't been said yet by Tastecicles · 2012-09-02 17:40 · Score: 1
  
  there's a reason.
  
  --
  Operation Guillotine is in effect.
quick question by slashmydots · 2012-09-02 16:47 · Score: 1

I keep seeing articles like this on slashdot but this one takes the cake, pun semi-intended. I have a question

In the disk of gas and dust surrounding this newly formed star, we found glycolaldehyde.
How? Does it reflect some rare particular frequency of light? Oh wait, Doppler wavelength dilation. Did they travel out there and scoop some up to sample it? I don't get it! Why do they never mention how they determined what molecule is off on some distant solar system?! Good thing some intelligent slashdotter is about to reply and explain it to all of us 10x simpler and faster than any article anywhere ever :-D
1. Re:quick question by Tastecicles · 2012-09-02 17:54 · Score: 1
  
  if I must.
  The primary method of determining what's out there is infrared spectroscopy. Each and every element and compound has its own infrared signature; regardless of temperature, luminosity, or the conditions of the surrounding space, the signature of a given compound/element is the same, therefore where you see a given signature you can be pretty certain that the compound to which it refers is present. What makes the science even more fun is that you can determine the signature of each molecule using samples on Earth. If you see the same signature through the telescope, as it were, you'd be looking at a significant mass of that molecule.
  Here is a list of molecules found on a regular basis in interstellar clouds.
  
  --
  Operation Guillotine is in effect.
2. Re:quick question by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-03 09:18 · Score: 0
  
  In this case, they used spectroscopy, but it's radio, not infrared (they used the Atacama Large Milimetre Array or ALMA for short).
  The simplest kind of spectroscopy would be atomic spectroscopy, which basically just works because electrons can only exist in certain atomic orbits. So atoms can only absorb light of certain energies (or wavelengths or frequencies, you can convert between them if you must), which excites their electrons and make these electrons jump to higher levels. Once these electrons are excited, they can spontaneously jump back down to lower levels and emit a photon (removing energy from the system). Each atom will emit and absorb photons of different energies, so if we look at a spectrum, we can tell which atoms are there. If you want to develop a better understanding, I suggest looking up the hydrogen spectrum (and if you want to get into some basic quantum mechanics, you can solve the energy levels).
  Molecules can undergo electronic transitions like atoms, but they can also vibrate and rotate. The vibrational and rotational energies of molecules are also quantized so molecules will only absorb and emit photons of particular energies as well, but they do it in more ways and can do it at different energy levels. Generally it takes a lot of energy to excite a molecule's electrons, so you see these in the visible or ultraviolet spectrum. Vibrational transitions are usually seen in the infrared and pure rotational transitions are usually seen in the far infrared to radio wavelengths. In this case, since we're looking at a molecule at radio wavelengths (thus low-energy photons), they're going to be observing rotational transitions of the molecule.
For all them creationists out there ... by freaker_TuC · 2012-09-02 21:09 · Score: 1

Sweet justice ! ...
... The truth is as sweet as sugar !

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--- I am known for the ones who want to find me on the net. Is that a privacy risk or a privilege? One might wonder..
Spaaace Sugaaaah! by arisvega · 2012-09-02 21:13 · Score: 1

.. 't makm' e feeeeel so gooooood!
WhuuaaAAAAuuu!

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The three laws of thermodynamics:(1) You can't win. (2) You can't break even. (3) You can't even quit.
It's pollution from Earth by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-03 04:41 · Score: 0

It's pollution from Earth. not only are we ruining our home, we are spreading our trash universally.
Questionable by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-03 05:48 · Score: 0

I respect all that science has given me and have excepted it's truths as my own personal savior. But every time I read about a discovery like this, I can't help but feel like somebody really wanted to justify the grant money they were given. At 400 million light years distance the milimeter/submilimeter apparatus used to make this "discovery" seems a bit ludicrous. I'm not an astrophysicist but I'm pretty sure that the potential for random anomalies to contaminate the observations made over such great distances would give one pause. And I just can't believe that finding the same results over and over for a relatively limited time period makes up for the shortcomings of our technology.
Uninsightful by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-03 15:16 · Score: 0

"... proves that the building blocks of life could have possibly existed ..."
Is it just me or is this an extremely vague and uninsightful statement? In a way, it reminds me of this xkcd.
"proves that ... could have possibly" --- "up to 15% or more"