NASA researchers at the Ames' Astrophysics and
Astrochemistry Lab in Mountain View, California have provided the first experimental evidence demonstrating that the sugar in DNA - 2- deoxyribose - can be formed in interstellar space.
Keck Research Laboratory in
Astrochemistry at UH Manoa, the Hawaii team replicated interstellar icy grains coated with carbon dioxide and water, which are ubiquitous in cold molecular clouds, and phosphine.
This production mechanism studied in Professor Giapis' laboratory could be operating in a range of environments and shows the important connection between laboratory studies and
astrochemistry."
Houtermans (1903-66) was the first to suggest that the source of stars' energy is thermonuclear fusion, and made a number of other important contributions to
astrochemistry and geochemistry.
Astrochemistry is a vibrant and very active astrophysical discipline [67, 208] and nowadays the details of many important atomic and molecular reactions occurring in the ISM are known.
of California, Berkeley, provide novices, teachers, and students with answers to about 1,000 questions related to chemistry and its history, atoms and molecules, macroscopic properties, chemical reactions, organic and inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, physical and theoretical chemistry, nuclear chemistry, polymer chemistry, energy, the chemistry lab, chemistry in relation to the world, sustainable chemistry, materials science,
astrochemistry, the chemistry of cooking, and experiments that can be done at home.
This makes it an ideal target for OSIRIS-REx to collect loose surface material," said Jason Dworkin, the mission's project scientist and Chief of
Astrochemistry at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Mr Pickard then introduced the first speaker, Dr Jeremy Yates from University College London, where his research interests include star formation and
astrochemistry, mass-loss from evolved stars, and computational astrophysics.
These incoming photons can also knock molecules from the ice right into the gas phase, says Louis Allamandola of the
astrochemistry division of NASA-Ames.
Travis Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage), co-creator of the image, says IC 342's face-on orientation and close distance of 11 million light-years make it a prime target for modern studies of star formation and
astrochemistry.
of Exeter) points out that
astrochemistry also draws some of its confusion from these disciplines, and focuses mainly on such fundamentals as the laws of thermodynamics and the origins of life.