New hydrocarbon discovery unlocks secrets of how Solar Systems form

New hydrocarbon discovery unlocks secrets of how Solar Systems form

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an abundant class of organic molecules in space, playing a significant role in the interstellar medium (ISM). These molecules, composed of fused carbon rings, are thought to store 10 to 25 percent of all carbon in space. Researchers have recently made a groundbreaking discovery of pyrene, a four-ring PAH, in the interstellar gas cloud TMC-1, a finding that deepens our understanding of the chemical inh…