Astronomers have detected a crucial carbon molecule in space for the first time using the James Webb Space Telescope. This is an unprecedented discovery as it could dramatically alter our understanding of life’s origins. The compound, called methyl cation, or CH3+, was traced back to a young star system located 1,350 light-years away from Earth in the Orion Nebula. Carbon compounds are intriguing to scientists because they act as the foundation for all life as we know and understand it. Methyl cation is considered a key component that helps form more complex carbon-based molecules. Understanding how life began and evolved on Earth could help researchers determine whether life exists elsewhere in the universe. Webb’s unmatched spatial and spectral resolution, coupled with its sensitivity, played a key role in the successful detection.


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