Before the James Webb Space Telescope, The Herschel Space Observatory (HSO) was one of the first missions that allowed astrochemists to probe the far-IR field. Operating in wavelengths longer than JWST’s, Herschel was able to pierce into the coldest, darkest parts of the universe.

Imagine peering into the cold, dark corners of space, where stars are just beginning to flicker into existence. It is in these cosmic nurseries where key chemical species formaldehyde (H₂CO) and methanol (CH₃OH) are forged. These precursor molecules are vital ingredients for brewing the more complex organic molecules that are essential to understanding how life might have originated on Earth or, perhaps, elsewhere in the universe.

Astronomers have uncovered a treasure trove of young stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Revealed not by their light, these stars were discovered due to the telltale glow of a molecule better known on Earth for its sweet, fruity scent: methyl formate.

A team of astrophysicists led by Duncan V. Mifsud from the University of Kent, UK, has conducted an experimental study to investigate the origin of sulfur-bearing molecules in cometary ices.

Hot off the disk: New detections of complex molecules in warm planet-forming disks

Scientists Uncover Flaws in Common Models for Studying Exoplanet Atmospheres

Life’s Building Blocks Have a Handedness and a Cosmic Connection

Galactic sandbox: From quartz clouds to lunar water generation