Interstellar comet carries a record number of building blocks for life: astronomers' discovery.

According to ТСН: Astronomers have found an astonishing amount of methanol and hydrogen cyanide—important elements for the formation of life (DNA and RNA)—in the composition of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. This comet, the third interstellar object discovered by scientists, contains significantly more of these compounds than any comet in our Solar System.

The research was published on the arXiv platform.

Unique chemical composition of the comet

Researchers have determined that 3I/ATLAS contains methanol and other molecules that are likely important for the emergence of life. The concentration of methanol in this comet is extraordinarily high—it is used to form amino acids and proteins that make up DNA and RNA. Furthermore, 3I/ATLAS has significantly more methanol than any known comet in our system, and this molecule has not yet been detected in other interstellar objects.

Earlier, scientists noticed that 3I/ATLAS has unusual characteristics: it behaves differently than typical comets and has an atypical chemical composition. This may indicate that its formation took place in another star system under special conditions. Currently, 3I/ATLAS is leaving the boundaries of our planetary system.

Observations of the comet

Using observations from the ALMA radio telescope, scientists discovered large quantities of methanol both in the nucleus and coma of the comet. They also detected hydrogen cyanide—another important molecule for the emergence of life.

Methanol is a precursor to amino acids, which form the structure of DNA and RNA and play a key role in organic chemistry. While hydrogen cyanide can be hazardous in large quantities, in small amounts it is essential for the life of plants, animals, and microorganisms, and is also a crucial component for the formation of complex organic compounds.

“We were extremely surprised when we found such high concentrations of methanol and hydrogen cyanide in the nucleus and coma of 3I/ATLAS—levels never observed in comets of the Solar System.”

Gas emissions

The comet turned out to be a true 'gas geyser': it emits about 40 kg of gaseous methanol per second, which accounts for about 8% of all its emissions—four times higher than typical figures for comets in the Solar System. Additionally, 3I/ATLAS produces between 250 to 500 grams of gaseous hydrogen cyanide per second—among the highest values recorded for comets.

Considering the role of methanol in creating key molecules necessary for the emergence of life, this discovery is of enormous significance.

“The new information supports the hypothesis that objects of this type may have delivered the building blocks of life to Earth billions of years ago.”

Researchers also noted that the abnormally high concentrations of methanol and hydrogen cyanide suggest that the object has a 'benevolent nature' and poses no threat. Earlier, there was speculation that 3I/ATLAS might be a probe from an alien civilization.

Recently, NASA confirmed that 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet, debunking the theory of its artificial origin. New data from the James Webb telescope and other missions confirmed the unique composition of this interstellar object, but no signs of extraterrestrial technology were found.

It is an extremely interesting discovery that adds new important details to our understanding of the origin of life on Earth. The study of 3I/ATLAS indicates that interstellar objects can be not only intriguing for research but also important in the context of forming organic molecules. This comet may hold the key to unlocking many mysteries related to the evolution of life in the Universe.