The Webb telescope discovered an important carbon molecule in space
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The Webb Space Telescope first detected the methyl cation CH3+ in space. It was captured in a young star system with a protoplanetary disk (known as d203-506) located about 1,350 light-years away in the Orion Nebula, NASA said. “This discovery not only means Webb’s high sensitivity, but also confirms the postulated centrality of CH3+ in interstellar chemistry,” said Marie-Aline Martin-Drumel, a scientist from the University of Paris-Saclé. The scientists explain: Although the star in d203-506 is a small red dwarf, the system is strongly exposed to ultraviolet light from nearby hot, young, massive stars. They usually form in groups, so researchers believe that most of them go through a period of UV radiation. Photo: NASA Previously, researchers believed that radiation destroys complex organic molecules, so the discovery of the CH3+ cation came as a surprise. The research team hypothesizes that UV radiation may actually provide the necessary energy source to form the carbon cation. And he, for his part, contributes to additional chemical reactions to create more complex carbon molecules. Scientists also note that the molecules in the protoplanetary disk d203-506 are different from other formations in space. “This clearly shows that ultraviolet radiation can completely change the chemical composition of the protoplanetary disk. And this can play a decisive role in the early stages of the origin of life,” said Olivier Bernet, a leading expert from the French National Center for Scientific Research in Toulouse. We will remind you that scientists recently published pictures of Saturn and its rings. They promise to make them colored and show them in different wavebands. Read also: The Webb telescope has recorded more than 700 ancient galaxies, unseen until now
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