Alcohol lovers on Earth might be interested to know that 'alcohol' also exists in space. A massive gas and dust cloud was discovered near the center of our Milky Way galaxy, containing various alcohol molecules. Scientists identified propanol here, which is considered the largest alcohol molecule found in space to date.
It is important to note that this is not potable alcohol, but a chemical substance. According to researchers, this discovery may help understand the processes of forming complex organic compounds necessary for life in space.
The attention of scientists is focused on a giant molecular cloud called Sagittarius B2, located near the center of the Milky Way. It is approximately 26 thousand light-years from Earth. This region is rich in gas and dust and is a site of active formation of a large number of new stars, hence it is called a stellar nursery.
Various alcohol molecules were found in this cloud, including methanol, ethanol, vinyl alcohol, ethyl formate, and propanol. According to scientists, the amount of methanol and ethanol in Sagittarius B2 is so vast that an estimated 10 trillion liters of these substances are present. However, this does not mean that the alcohol has accumulated in liquid form, like a sea or a pond; these molecules are distributed among the cosmic gas and dust.
The characteristic of the discovered propanol is that it is the largest alcohol molecule ever found. One of its types is isopropanol, which is used in hand antiseptics. Another type is common propanol. Scientists detected the presence of isopropanol in Sagittarius B2 using a radio telescope located in Chile. These discoveries were published in two studies in the scientific journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Researchers involved in this project emphasize the exceptional importance of discovering both forms of propanol, as their chemical structures are very similar, and they can exist under similar conditions. By comparing their quantities, scientists can understand exactly how such complex chemical compounds are formed in space.
The main question facing scientists is how such complex organic molecules form in space. To date, about 125 different molecules have been identified in space. Scientists believe that most of them are formed by the collision and combination of small molecules or atoms. However, explaining the presence of such complex substances as vinyl alcohol and propanol solely by this process is difficult.
In 2001, scientists recorded signals of vinyl alcohol in Sagittarius B2 using a 12-meter radio telescope. This was the last of three stable molecules of the C2H4O group discovered in space. At that time, a scientist from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory of the USA, Barry Turner, stated that the discovery of vinyl alcohol was an important key to understanding the process of forming complex organic substances in space.
Another interesting discovery in the Sagittarius B2 cloud is the detection of a chemical substance called ethyl formate. This is the substance that gives raspberries their distinctive taste. Notably, it has a rum aroma. Because of this, scientists once jokingly remarked that the center of our galaxy might taste like raspberry and smell like rum. Nevertheless, this does not mean that real raspberries or rum exist in space; these are simply properties of chemical molecules.
The significance of these discoveries for scientists is not limited to the fact that alcohol-related compounds are in space. In fact, these compounds can help them understand how complex organic molecules necessary for life are formed and distributed in space. This is why they continue to closely observe giant molecular clouds like Sagittarius B2. Scientists hope this will help determine whether there are chemical conditions necessary for life in the universe besides Earth.
