Glycine - Presence in Space

Presence in Space

The detection of glycine in the interstellar medium has been debated. In 2008, the glycine-like molecule aminoacetonitrile was discovered in the Large Molecule Heimat, a giant gas cloud near the galactic center in the constellation Sagittarius by the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy. In 2009, glycine sampled in 2004 from comet Wild 2 by the NASA spacecraft Stardust was confirmed, the first discovery of extraterrestrial glycine. That mission's results bolstered the theory of panspermia, which claims that the "seeds" of life are widespread throughout the universe.

Read more about this topic:  Glycine

Famous quotes containing the words presence and/or space:

    The scene of suffering is a scene of joy when the suffering is past; and the silent reminiscence of hardships departed, is sweeter than the presence of delight.
    Herman Melville (1819–1891)

    Let the space under the first storey be dark, let the water
    lap the stone posts, and vivid green slime glimmer
    upon them; let a boat be kept there.
    Denise Levertov (b. 1923)