Breakthrough in hunt for ALIENS as scientists find treasure trove of ‘ingredients for life' near distant baby star
From prebiotic molecules in comets, to chemicals floating in the dust of interstellar space, scientists have traced the building blocks of life all across space.
1
Instead of destroying these precious organic compounds, the star may actually be freeing them from these icy surfaces
Astronomers have recently discovered the key components to life swirling around a remote baby star roughly 1,300 light-years from Earth.
A protostar called V883 Orionis, tucked away in the constellation Orion, contains 17 complex organic molecules, including ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile.
These are the precursors to components found in DNA and RNA - which build all living things.
The study, published in the
READ MORE ON SPACE
While similar compounds have been discovered elsewhere in the cosmos, astronomers assumed it wouldn't be possible so close to a star.
The birth of stars is violent, emitting such a huge amount of energy that astronomers assumed these seeds of life would be obliterated.
It was thought that only the rare planetary systems - like Earth - would be capable of reproducing them.
"Now it appears the opposite is true," study co-author Kamber Schwarz, an astrochemist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany,
Most read in Science
"Our results suggest that protoplanetary discs inherit complex molecules from earlier stages, and the formation of complex molecules can continue during the protoplanetary disc stage."
Huge leap in search for aliens after 'building blocks for LIFE' found on ancient asteroid Bennu from lost watery world
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in northern Chile, scientists spotted emission lines from a cluster of organic molecules inside a debris and gas rich disk encircling V883 Orionis.
This is in spite of the baby star pumping out powerful bursts of radiation.
"These outbursts are strong enough to heat the surrounding disc as far as otherwise icy environments, releasing the chemicals we have detected," study first author Abubakar Fadul, a graduate student at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, added.
The organic compounds form on specks of ice in the debris and gas disk.
Instead of destroying these precious organic compounds, the star may actually be freeing them from these icy surfaces.
The researchers still need more data to see how well these compounds hold up as their host star grows.
"Perhaps we also need to look at other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum to find even more evolved molecules," Fadul said.
"Who knows what else we might discover?"
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The Irish Sun
28-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Breakthrough in hunt for ALIENS as scientists find treasure trove of ‘ingredients for life' near distant baby star
THE key ingredients for life may be scattered across the universe in more places than first thought, according to a new study. From prebiotic molecules in comets, to chemicals floating in the dust of interstellar space, scientists have traced the building blocks of life all across space. 1 Instead of destroying these precious organic compounds, the star may actually be freeing them from these icy surfaces Astronomers have recently discovered the key components to life swirling around a remote baby star roughly 1,300 light-years from Earth. A protostar called V883 Orionis, tucked away in the constellation Orion, contains 17 complex organic molecules, including ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile. These are the precursors to components found in DNA and RNA - which build all living things. The study, published in the READ MORE ON SPACE While similar compounds have been discovered elsewhere in the cosmos, astronomers assumed it wouldn't be possible so close to a star. The birth of stars is violent, emitting such a huge amount of energy that astronomers assumed these seeds of life would be obliterated. It was thought that only the rare planetary systems - like Earth - would be capable of reproducing them. "Now it appears the opposite is true," study co-author Kamber Schwarz, an astrochemist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, Most read in Science "Our results suggest that protoplanetary discs inherit complex molecules from earlier stages, and the formation of complex molecules can continue during the protoplanetary disc stage." Huge leap in search for aliens after 'building blocks for LIFE' found on ancient asteroid Bennu from lost watery world Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in northern Chile, scientists spotted emission lines from a cluster of organic molecules inside a debris and gas rich disk encircling V883 Orionis. This is in spite of the baby star pumping out powerful bursts of radiation. "These outbursts are strong enough to heat the surrounding disc as far as otherwise icy environments, releasing the chemicals we have detected," study first author Abubakar Fadul, a graduate student at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, added. The organic compounds form on specks of ice in the debris and gas disk. Instead of destroying these precious organic compounds, the star may actually be freeing them from these icy surfaces. The researchers still need more data to see how well these compounds hold up as their host star grows. "Perhaps we also need to look at other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum to find even more evolved molecules," Fadul said. "Who knows what else we might discover?" All you need to know about planets in our solar system Our solar system is made up of nine planets with Earth the third closest to the Sun. But each planet has its own quirks, so find out more about them all... How old is How many moons does What colour is How far away is How big is How many moons does Does How many moons does How big is How hot is the
Irish Examiner
25-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Can Ireland's ash trees stage a comeback against deadly dieback?
For more than a decade, Ireland's ash trees have been quietly dying. Victims of a deadly fungal disease known as ash dieback, they have withered in woodlands, fallen from hedgerows, and left gaps in a landscape where they once stood proud and plentiful. Since its arrival in 2012, ash dieback has spread relentlessly across the island, and with it has come growing concern for biodiversity, forestry, and even national identity. Yet, amid the losses, a new hope is sprouting. Science shows our ash trees may be fighting back. A devastating foe Ash dieback, caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, sneaked into Ireland through imported plants, spreading like wildfire. Its spores attack ash trees' leaves, choking their ability to carry water and nutrients. Ash dieback The result? Withered branches, cracked bark — and, for many young trees, a death sentence. It's estimated that up to 90% of Ireland's ash trees could be at risk, with entire woodlands and hedgerows fading away. The fallout is more than just a loss of trees. Ash trees are the backbone of our ecosystems, supporting more than 40 species of insects, lichens, and fungi that keep our woodlands teeming with life. Their decline ripples through the food chain, threatening birds and other wildlife. And then there's hurling. Our beloved sport that relies on ash for crafting hurleys. With local ash in short supply, we've had to turn to imported timber... a bittersweet shift for a game woven so deeply into our national identity. Nature fights back But the story doesn't end there. A groundbreaking study from Britain, hot off the press in the journal Science , brings a ray of hope. Researchers from Kew Gardens and Queen Mary University of London studied a woodland in Surrey and discovered that young ash trees are tougher than their parents. By comparing DNA, they found that these saplings have inherited thousands of tiny genetic tweaks that help them fend off the fungus. It's evolution in action, happening right before our eyes. Here in Ireland, this discovery hits home. Our ash trees share the same genetic roots as those in Britain, and Irish scientists are already spotting survivors in our woodlands. By collecting their seeds and using cutting-edge genetic tools, foresters are working to determine if they can grow a new generation of ash that can stand strong. But this process will take time. Resistance is not immunity, and many trees, particularly older ones, will continue to die. But it's a start. Echoes from the past This isn't the first time Ireland's trees have faced a crisis. While ash dieback is a modern disease, the idea of trees succumbing to disease is not new. Thousands of years ago, around 5,000–6,000 years back, our elm trees vanished in a mysterious 'elm decline'. Ancient pollen buried in bogs and lakes show a dramatic and rapid drop in elm (Ulmus) trees. For years, scientists debated whether this decline was caused by early farming practices or a natural disease outbreak. Today, many palaeoecologists believe that a form of Dutch elm disease (or a closely related pathogen) may have triggered this ancient collapse. Though not directly linked to ash, the elm decline provides a powerful precedent for how tree disease can reshape entire landscapes. More subtle changes in the pollen record, such as temporary declines in ash or oak, might also reflect short-lived disease events or stressors like drought or fire. New techniques, such as sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) analysis, are beginning to offer even greater insight, detecting not only the presence of tree species but also the DNA of associated fungi and pathogens preserved in sediment layers. These long-term records remind us that forest ecosystems are dynamic and resilient, capable of both suffering and recovering from shock. They also provide a long-term perspective on how tree species may have responded to past climate changes and biological threats. A path forward Today, scientists and foresters are working together to manage the immediate crisis and prepare for the long haul. Elongated angular stem lesions, one of the symptoms to look out for with ash dieback /(Chalara fraxinea). Across Ireland, seeds are being collected from surviving ash trees, saplings are being tested for resistance, and new planting strategies are being explored to determine if resilient stock could be reintroduced into the landscape. At the same time, it's important to not view the ash crisis in isolation. A more diverse forest, one that includes native species like oak, birch, rowan and hazel, is more likely to withstand future challenges, whether from disease, invasive pests, or a changing climate. Still, the idea that ash could one day reclaim its place in Irish hedgerows, woodlands, and hurley workshops is no longer just wishful thinking. It won't happen overnight. Rebuilding our ash woodlands will take decades, blending nature's resilience with human ingenuity. But imagine a future where ash trees once again shade our fields and fuel our hurling matches. So, while ash trees are down, they're not out of the game just yet.
Irish Times
05-07-2025
- Irish Times
Scientific consensus is not a fruitful concept
The term scientific consensus – as in 'there is a scientific consensus on climate change' – is often used to characterise a matter considered to be scientifically settled. But the concept of consensus is poorly suited to science, where conclusions must always remain provisional and revisable in the light of new evidence. The concept of 'convergence' better describes the nature of the scientific enterprise. Convergence means we can begin to have confidence that science is accurately/truly describing a phenomenon when the evidence from many and diverse approaches all point to the same explanation. The relative merits of the concepts of consensus and convergence were discussed recently in a recent editorial in Science , and elaborated by Chuck Dinerstein in The American Council for Science and Health . The value of the convergence concept is illustrated by the history of the MMR vaccine and the claims that this vaccine causes autism. There is a huge amount of evidence from very many lines of investigation that MMR vaccines do not cause autism – in other words, there is extremely strong scientific convergence pointing to this conclusion. READ MORE Nevertheless, US secretary for health Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy jnr does not accept this conclusion, and has asked the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct a new study to demonstrate cases where MMR vaccination does cause autism. [ The global fight for science in the face of Trump's attacks Opens in new window ] Given the strength of evidence to date, it seems highly improbable the CDC will demonstrate any link between MMR and autism. Even if it does produce some evidence, the fact remains that innumerable past studies have found no link. A single contrary indication would not destroy the existing convergence of evidence, which will remain even if a single or a few exceptions come to light. If exceptions do emerge, the onus will be on proponents of the MMR/autism link to explain why scientific convergence so overwhelmingly indicates the opposite conclusion. And, of course, those who now argue for a link between MMR and autism, in the absence of evidence to date to support their claim, would seize on a single apparent demonstration of a link in some cases as a demonstration that 'scientific consensus' is broken, and they would be emboldened to greatly intensify their campaign against vaccination. In other words, as far as the evidence goes they would have the tail wag the dog and would certainly sow great confusion and persuade many parents not to vaccinate their children, with disastrous consequences. Creative people who are not completely shackled by existing paradigms are very important when science consistently struggles over a long period to make further progress in explaining a situation On the other hand, the convergence concept would not lend itself to any such easy manipulation. A single contrary demonstration, albeit interesting and demanding further investigation, would remain a single demonstration to confront innumerable published demonstrations to the contrary. Another weakness of the consensus concept is that it can be used to bully scientists who dissent from majority opinion. This can be done by refusing monetary support to fund the researches of scientists who question the consensus position. I would imagine that the minority of climate scientists currently seeking support to study potential natural explanations of global warming unrelated to greenhouse gas emissions are finding it very hard to win funding from grant-awarding bodies dominated by scientists hostile to any questioning of the conventional 'consensus'. [ Political correctness now a bullying tactic aimed at stifling legitimate debate Opens in new window ] Creative people who are not completely shackled by existing paradigms are very important when science consistently struggles over a long period to make further progress in explaining a situation. 'Thinking outside the box' may be the only way forward to full explanations in these cases. For example, research on Alzheimer's disease has heavily concentrated on amyloid plaques for a long time now, but has produced little progress in fully accounting for the disease. The problem calls for creative, not consensus, thinking. The strong majority position in science can sometimes be wrong and hostile to new opinions. For example, when the idea was first mooted that Earth's crust is divided into large fragments that 'float' on an underlying partly melted layer and that whole continents, once residing close together, gradually moved apart until widely separated (plate tectonics), it was widely resisted by geologists among whom a consensus to the contrary existed. It took many years for this intercontinental drift and plate tectonics model to become established, as the evidence in its favour gradually accumulated and neatly explained very many observations – in other words, as scientific convergence emerged. William Reville is an emeritus professor at UCC
