WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.240 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source for 1 00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:05.720 the latest space and astronomy news. I'm 2 00:00:05.720 --> 00:00:06.240 Anna. 3 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:08.640 Avery: And I'm Avery. Thanks for joining us on this 4 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:11.440 Saturday, January 31, 2026. 5 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:14.760 Anna: We've got a fascinating lineup today covering 6 00:00:14.760 --> 00:00:16.840 everything from NASA's Artemis programme 7 00:00:16.840 --> 00:00:19.480 updates to groundbreaking discoveries in the 8 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:22.480 search for life beyond Earth. Avery, what's 9 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:23.200 on the agenda? 10 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:25.240 Avery: Well, Anna, uh, we're kicking things off with 11 00:00:25.240 --> 00:00:27.760 some news from NASA's Artemis 2 mission. 12 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:30.120 There's been a delay in critical testing due 13 00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:32.860 to some unexpected weather challeng. Then 14 00:00:32.860 --> 00:00:35.220 we'll dive into Blue Origin's strategic shift 15 00:00:35.220 --> 00:00:37.500 as they pause their space tourism programme 16 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:38.780 for at least two years. 17 00:00:39.260 --> 00:00:41.820 Anna: After that, we're looking up at some truly 18 00:00:41.820 --> 00:00:44.620 cosmic million mile per 19 00:00:44.620 --> 00:00:47.260 hour winds racing through colliding galaxies 20 00:00:47.260 --> 00:00:50.020 and a mysterious object sending powerful 21 00:00:50.020 --> 00:00:52.540 signals across space that has astronomers 22 00:00:52.540 --> 00:00:53.660 scratching their heads. 23 00:00:53.820 --> 00:00:56.100 Avery: We'll also explore some surprising findings 24 00:00:56.100 --> 00:00:58.660 about Tatooine style planets orbiting 25 00:00:58.660 --> 00:01:01.500 binary stars. And wrap up with an exciting 26 00:01:01.500 --> 00:01:04.160 discovery. Scientists have detected a 27 00:01:04.160 --> 00:01:06.760 molecule critical to life in interstellar 28 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:08.840 space for the very first time. 29 00:01:09.320 --> 00:01:11.640 Anna: Quite the journey today. Let's get started. 30 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:12.920 Avery: Ready when you are. 31 00:01:13.240 --> 00:01:15.680 Anna: Alright, Avery, let's start with NASA's 32 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:18.120 Artemis programme. I understand old man 33 00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:20.280 Winter has thrown a wrench into their testing 34 00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:20.760 schedule. 35 00:01:21.080 --> 00:01:23.680 Avery: He certainly has, Anna. Uh, NASA has been 36 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.000 forced to delay a critical fueling test for 37 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:28.480 the Artemis 2 mission due to below freezing 38 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:30.400 temperatures at Kennedy Space Centre in 39 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:32.660 Florida. The wet dress rehearsal was 40 00:01:32.660 --> 00:01:35.180 originally scheduled for January 27, 41 00:01:35.420 --> 00:01:37.820 but those unexpected cold temperatures put it 42 00:01:37.820 --> 00:01:39.020 on ice, so to speak. 43 00:01:39.740 --> 00:01:42.620 Anna: I see what you did there. But seriously, what 44 00:01:42.620 --> 00:01:45.460 exactly is this wet dress rehearsal and why 45 00:01:45.460 --> 00:01:46.300 is it so important? 46 00:01:47.019 --> 00:01:49.460 Avery: Great question. The wet dress rehearsal is 47 00:01:49.460 --> 00:01:52.060 essentially a full practise run of launch day 48 00:01:52.060 --> 00:01:55.060 procedures minus the actual launch. The team 49 00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:57.780 loads the massive Space Launch System rocket 50 00:01:57.780 --> 00:02:00.540 with over 700,000 gallons of super 51 00:02:00.540 --> 00:02:03.010 cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. 52 00:02:03.080 --> 00:02:05.320 Oxygen propellants runs through all the 53 00:02:05.320 --> 00:02:07.400 countdown procedures and then drains 54 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:09.880 everything back out. It's the ultimate dress 55 00:02:09.880 --> 00:02:11.480 rehearsal before the real show. 56 00:02:11.960 --> 00:02:14.120 Anna: So they're basically making sure all the 57 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:16.360 plumbing works and everyone knows their roles 58 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:18.600 when the clock is ticking down. What happened 59 00:02:18.600 --> 00:02:20.360 with the weather that caused the delay? 60 00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:23.200 Avery: Well, Florida experienced some unusually cold 61 00:02:23.200 --> 00:02:25.160 conditions. We're talking about freezing 62 00:02:25.160 --> 00:02:27.320 temperatures that persisted for several days. 63 00:02:27.640 --> 00:02:29.960 The problem is that loading these cryogenic 64 00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:32.200 propellants in freezing conditions creates 65 00:02:32.200 --> 00:02:34.280 additional safety risks and potential 66 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:37.060 technical issues. NASA's priority is always 67 00:02:37.060 --> 00:02:39.020 safety first. So they made the call to 68 00:02:39.020 --> 00:02:39.540 postpone. 69 00:02:39.860 --> 00:02:42.100 Anna: Smart move. When are they planning to try 70 00:02:42.100 --> 00:02:42.420 again? 71 00:02:42.740 --> 00:02:45.100 Avery: The Space Launch System is now set to roll 72 00:02:45.100 --> 00:02:47.780 out to launch pad 39B on February 73 00:02:47.780 --> 00:02:50.620 5, with the wet dress rehearsal rescheduled 74 00:02:50.620 --> 00:02:53.460 for February 8, this means the Artemis 2 75 00:02:53.460 --> 00:02:56.420 launch is now no earlier than April 2026, 76 00:02:56.660 --> 00:02:58.740 which is a shift from the previous March 77 00:02:58.740 --> 00:02:59.140 target. 78 00:02:59.540 --> 00:03:01.620 Anna: For our listeners who might not be following 79 00:03:01.780 --> 00:03:04.580 every detail of Artemis, remind us what makes 80 00:03:04.580 --> 00:03:05.460 Artemis 2. 81 00:03:06.990 --> 00:03:09.430 Avery: Hannah? Artemis 2 is absolutely 82 00:03:09.430 --> 00:03:11.790 historic. This will be the first crewed 83 00:03:11.790 --> 00:03:14.590 mission beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 84 00:03:14.750 --> 00:03:17.310 years. Basically, since the Apollo programme 85 00:03:17.310 --> 00:03:19.910 ended. Four astronauts will fly around the 86 00:03:19.910 --> 00:03:22.230 moon, testing all the systems and procedures 87 00:03:22.230 --> 00:03:24.190 that will eventually support landing 88 00:03:24.190 --> 00:03:26.750 astronauts back on the lunar surface during 89 00:03:26.750 --> 00:03:27.790 Artemis 3. 90 00:03:28.270 --> 00:03:30.790 Anna: It's wild to think we haven't sent humans 91 00:03:30.790 --> 00:03:33.150 beyond Earth orbit in five decades. 92 00:03:33.530 --> 00:03:34.410 Who's on the crew? 93 00:03:34.570 --> 00:03:36.810 Avery: The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid 94 00:03:36.810 --> 00:03:39.690 Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, 95 00:03:39.850 --> 00:03:42.210 along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut 96 00:03:42.210 --> 00:03:44.810 Jeremy Hansen. Victor Glover will make 97 00:03:44.810 --> 00:03:47.050 history as the first person of colour to 98 00:03:47.050 --> 00:03:49.850 travel beyond low Earth orbit. And Christina 99 00:03:49.850 --> 00:03:52.250 Koch will become the first woman to do so. 100 00:03:52.650 --> 00:03:55.450 Anna: That's incredible. Even with this delay, 101 00:03:55.450 --> 00:03:58.450 April 2026 is right around the corner. The 102 00:03:58.450 --> 00:03:59.450 wait is almost over. 103 00:04:00.110 --> 00:04:03.030 Avery: Absolutely. And honestly, a few weeks delay 104 00:04:03.030 --> 00:04:05.590 to ensure everything is perfect is well worth 105 00:04:05.590 --> 00:04:07.710 it when you're pioneering the return of human 106 00:04:07.710 --> 00:04:08.990 deep space exploration. 107 00:04:09.710 --> 00:04:12.190 Anna: Speaking of human spaceflight, let's shift 108 00:04:12.190 --> 00:04:14.750 gears to Blue Origin. They're making some 109 00:04:14.750 --> 00:04:16.430 significant changes to their programme, 110 00:04:16.430 --> 00:04:17.550 aren't they, Avery? 111 00:04:17.630 --> 00:04:20.070 Avery: They sure are, Anna. Blue Origin has 112 00:04:20.070 --> 00:04:21.710 announced they're hitting pause on their New 113 00:04:21.710 --> 00:04:23.950 Shepard space tourism flights for at least 114 00:04:23.950 --> 00:04:26.910 two years. This is a major strategic shift 115 00:04:26.910 --> 00:04:29.510 as they refocus their resources on NASA's 116 00:04:29.510 --> 00:04:31.390 Artemis programme and the development of 117 00:04:31.390 --> 00:04:32.570 their lunar lander. 118 00:04:32.970 --> 00:04:35.610 Anna: Two years is a substantial pause. 119 00:04:35.770 --> 00:04:37.130 What's driving this decision? 120 00:04:37.530 --> 00:04:39.770 Avery: It all comes down to their Blue Moon lunar 121 00:04:39.770 --> 00:04:42.290 lander programme. Blue Origin won a contract 122 00:04:42.290 --> 00:04:45.170 from NASA worth potentially up to $3.6 123 00:04:45.170 --> 00:04:48.010 billion to develop a human landing system for 124 00:04:48.010 --> 00:04:50.250 the Artemis missions. They're planning an 125 00:04:50.250 --> 00:04:52.730 uncrewed demonstration mission to the moon in 126 00:04:52.730 --> 00:04:55.290 2028, and that's requiring a 127 00:04:55.290 --> 00:04:57.250 massive concentration of their engineering 128 00:04:57.250 --> 00:04:58.410 talent and resources. 129 00:04:59.370 --> 00:05:01.770 Anna: So they're essentially choosing moon landings 130 00:05:01.850 --> 00:05:04.810 over suborbital tourism flights. That seems 131 00:05:04.810 --> 00:05:06.530 like a pretty clear indication of where they 132 00:05:06.530 --> 00:05:07.930 see the bigger opportunity. 133 00:05:08.410 --> 00:05:10.690 Avery: Exactly. And it's worth noting that Blue 134 00:05:10.690 --> 00:05:13.330 Origin has already conducted eight successful 135 00:05:13.330 --> 00:05:15.450 New Shepard tourism flights since July 136 00:05:15.450 --> 00:05:18.170 2021, carrying 43 people 137 00:05:18.170 --> 00:05:20.730 past the Karman Line, the internationally 138 00:05:20.730 --> 00:05:22.930 recognised boundary of space at 100 139 00:05:22.930 --> 00:05:25.660 kilometres altitude. So they've proven the 140 00:05:25.660 --> 00:05:26.740 concept and the technology. 141 00:05:27.380 --> 00:05:29.500 Anna: I remember the excitement around those early 142 00:05:29.500 --> 00:05:31.820 flights. What exactly will passengers 143 00:05:31.820 --> 00:05:33.860 experience on a New Shepard flight? 144 00:05:34.100 --> 00:05:36.340 Avery: It's a roughly 11 minute journey where 145 00:05:36.340 --> 00:05:38.540 passengers experience about three minutes of 146 00:05:38.540 --> 00:05:40.780 weightlessness at the top of the arc. The 147 00:05:40.780 --> 00:05:43.460 capsule has massive windows, the largest ever 148 00:05:43.460 --> 00:05:46.420 flown in space, giving spectacular views of 149 00:05:46.420 --> 00:05:48.740 Earth's curvature and the blackness of space. 150 00:05:49.140 --> 00:05:51.620 It's suborbital, meaning you go up and come 151 00:05:51.620 --> 00:05:53.890 right back down, but you definitely cross 152 00:05:53.890 --> 00:05:54.570 into space. 153 00:05:55.210 --> 00:05:57.410 Anna: And this pause is specifically for the 154 00:05:57.410 --> 00:05:59.610 tourism programme. What about other New 155 00:05:59.610 --> 00:06:00.410 Shepard missions? 156 00:06:00.890 --> 00:06:03.170 Avery: Good distinction, Anna. New, uh, Shepard will 157 00:06:03.170 --> 00:06:05.450 continue flying cargo and research missions. 158 00:06:05.610 --> 00:06:07.570 Blue Origin has committed to conducting at 159 00:06:07.570 --> 00:06:10.010 least two cargo flights each year during this 160 00:06:10.010 --> 00:06:12.250 tourism pause. These missions carry 161 00:06:12.250 --> 00:06:14.490 scientific experiments and payloads for 162 00:06:14.490 --> 00:06:16.410 various customers, including NASA. 163 00:06:16.810 --> 00:06:19.290 Anna: What about their ticket sales? I imagine 164 00:06:19.290 --> 00:06:21.450 people have already paid for future flights. 165 00:06:22.070 --> 00:06:23.990 Avery: Yes, and Blue Origin says they'll be 166 00:06:23.990 --> 00:06:26.110 contacting customers who've already purchased 167 00:06:26.110 --> 00:06:28.190 tickets to discuss their options. They 168 00:06:28.190 --> 00:06:30.070 haven't specified how many people are 169 00:06:30.070 --> 00:06:32.190 affected, but they've emphasised this is a 170 00:06:32.190 --> 00:06:34.710 temporary pause, not an end to the programme. 171 00:06:35.190 --> 00:06:37.830 Anna: It's interesting timing, isn't it? Just as 172 00:06:37.830 --> 00:06:39.790 several companies are getting into the space 173 00:06:39.790 --> 00:06:42.310 tourism business, Blue Origin is stepping 174 00:06:42.310 --> 00:06:43.990 back, at least temporarily. 175 00:06:44.470 --> 00:06:46.710 Avery: It really shows you the scale of the lunar 176 00:06:46.710 --> 00:06:49.080 lander challenge. Building a spacecraft that 177 00:06:49.080 --> 00:06:51.440 can safely land humans on the moon and return 178 00:06:51.440 --> 00:06:54.120 them to lunar orbit is orders of magnitude 179 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:56.680 more complex than a suborbital tourism op. 180 00:06:57.000 --> 00:06:59.140 Blue Origin is betting their future on, um, 181 00:06:59.200 --> 00:07:01.360 being a key player in the new era of space 182 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:02.040 exploration. 183 00:07:02.520 --> 00:07:05.120 Anna: And with that NASA contract potentially worth 184 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:08.000 $3.6 billion, it's not 185 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:09.880 hard to see why they're prioritising it. 186 00:07:10.280 --> 00:07:13.240 Avery: Exactly. This is Blue Origin's moonshot, both 187 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:15.770 literally and figuratively. If they can 188 00:07:15.770 --> 00:07:17.850 deliver a successful lunar lander, it 189 00:07:17.850 --> 00:07:20.090 positions them as a major player in the new 190 00:07:20.090 --> 00:07:21.450 era of space exploration. 191 00:07:22.010 --> 00:07:25.010 Anna: From human space exploration to cosmic 192 00:07:25.010 --> 00:07:25.770 phenomena. 193 00:07:26.010 --> 00:07:28.210 Let's talk about something happening on a 194 00:07:28.210 --> 00:07:30.970 scale that's almost impossible to comprehend. 195 00:07:31.290 --> 00:07:34.250 Avery, tell us about these million mile per 196 00:07:34.250 --> 00:07:36.090 hour winds racing through space. 197 00:07:36.650 --> 00:07:39.130 Avery: Anna. Uh, this is absolutely mind blowing. 198 00:07:39.370 --> 00:07:41.770 Astronomers have discovered cosmic winds 199 00:07:41.770 --> 00:07:44.730 travelling at over 1.1 million miles per 200 00:07:44.730 --> 00:07:47.500 hour. That's roughly 500 kilometres per 201 00:07:47.500 --> 00:07:49.780 second, racing through what they're calling a 202 00:07:49.780 --> 00:07:52.380 magnetic superhighway between two colliding 203 00:07:52.380 --> 00:07:52.940 galaxies. 204 00:07:53.420 --> 00:07:56.300 Anna: A magnetic superhighway in space? 205 00:07:56.860 --> 00:07:58.660 That sounds like something out of science 206 00:07:58.660 --> 00:08:00.620 fiction. Where is this happening? 207 00:08:00.940 --> 00:08:03.820 Avery: This incredible phenomenon is occurring in 208 00:08:03.820 --> 00:08:04.860 a system called 209 00:08:04.860 --> 00:08:07.780 IC1623, which is 210 00:08:07.780 --> 00:08:10.380 actually two galaxies in the process of 211 00:08:10.380 --> 00:08:12.710 merging together. Located about 212 00:08:12.710 --> 00:08:15.670 275 million light years 213 00:08:15.670 --> 00:08:18.230 from Earth in the constellation Cetus, 214 00:08:18.710 --> 00:08:21.630 these galaxies are in the late stages of a 215 00:08:21.630 --> 00:08:24.390 cosmic collision and it's creating some 216 00:08:24.390 --> 00:08:25.910 extraordinary physics. 217 00:08:26.230 --> 00:08:28.270 Anna: Walk us through what's actually happening 218 00:08:28.270 --> 00:08:31.230 here. How do galaxies colliding create these 219 00:08:31.230 --> 00:08:32.630 super fast winds. 220 00:08:33.350 --> 00:08:35.750 Avery: When galaxies merge, their gravitational 221 00:08:35.750 --> 00:08:38.390 interactions trigger massive bursts of star 222 00:08:38.390 --> 00:08:41.300 formation. We're talking thousands of stars 223 00:08:41.300 --> 00:08:43.980 being born. These newborn stars live 224 00:08:43.980 --> 00:08:46.860 fast and die young, creating powerful 225 00:08:46.860 --> 00:08:49.860 stellar winds and supernova explosions. All 226 00:08:49.860 --> 00:08:52.500 of this activity generates enormous amounts 227 00:08:52.500 --> 00:08:55.099 of energy that drives material outward at 228 00:08:55.099 --> 00:08:56.420 incredible speeds. 229 00:08:56.740 --> 00:08:59.540 Anna: And the magnetic superhighway, what 230 00:08:59.540 --> 00:09:00.660 role does that play? 231 00:09:01.300 --> 00:09:04.060 Avery: Here's where it gets really fascinating. The 232 00:09:04.060 --> 00:09:06.180 team from the University of Hertfordshire 233 00:09:06.260 --> 00:09:08.740 discovered that magnetic fields are actually 234 00:09:08.820 --> 00:09:11.340 channelling these winds, creating what they 235 00:09:11.340 --> 00:09:13.860 call a superhighway that connects the two 236 00:09:13.860 --> 00:09:16.380 galactic cores. Think of it like a 237 00:09:16.380 --> 00:09:19.140 cosmic interstate highway system. But instead 238 00:09:19.140 --> 00:09:21.620 of cars, you've got superheated gas 239 00:09:21.620 --> 00:09:24.100 screaming along at speeds that make Earth's 240 00:09:24.100 --> 00:09:26.460 fastest spacecraft look like they're standing 241 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:26.780 still. 242 00:09:27.340 --> 00:09:30.060 Anna: That's an amazing image. How did they 243 00:09:30.060 --> 00:09:31.340 detect something like this? 244 00:09:32.060 --> 00:09:34.940 Avery: They used the Atacama Large Millimetre Array, 245 00:09:34.940 --> 00:09:37.820 ALMA in Chile, which is specifically designed 246 00:09:37.820 --> 00:09:40.380 to observe cold gas and dust in the universe. 247 00:09:40.950 --> 00:09:43.670 What they found was unexpected. The magnetic 248 00:09:43.670 --> 00:09:46.390 field structure doesn't just randomly radiate 249 00:09:46.390 --> 00:09:48.550 outward like many galactic winds do. 250 00:09:49.030 --> 00:09:51.870 Instead, it's highly organised, creating 251 00:09:51.870 --> 00:09:54.510 this directed pathway between the galactic 252 00:09:54.510 --> 00:09:55.030 centres. 253 00:09:55.510 --> 00:09:58.430 Anna: Why is this discovery so significant? What 254 00:09:58.430 --> 00:10:00.550 does it tell us about galaxy evolution? 255 00:10:01.350 --> 00:10:03.670 Avery: This is crucial for understanding how 256 00:10:03.670 --> 00:10:06.630 galaxies grow and evolve. These powerful 257 00:10:06.630 --> 00:10:09.270 outflows, what astronomers call feedback, 258 00:10:09.650 --> 00:10:12.210 can actually regulate star formation by 259 00:10:12.210 --> 00:10:14.250 expelling the gas and dust that would 260 00:10:14.250 --> 00:10:16.850 otherwise collapse to form new stars. 261 00:10:17.010 --> 00:10:18.970 It's like a pressure release valve for 262 00:10:18.970 --> 00:10:21.730 galaxies. Too much star formation can blow 263 00:10:21.730 --> 00:10:24.210 away the material needed to make more stars, 264 00:10:24.290 --> 00:10:27.170 which can eventually slow down or even halt 265 00:10:27.170 --> 00:10:28.210 a, uh, galaxy's growth. 266 00:10:28.770 --> 00:10:31.690 Anna: So galaxies regulate their own growth through 267 00:10:31.690 --> 00:10:34.410 these winds. That's a pretty elegant self 268 00:10:34.410 --> 00:10:35.250 limiting system. 269 00:10:36.250 --> 00:10:38.370 Avery: It really is. And what makes 270 00:10:38.370 --> 00:10:41.370 IC1623 particularly interesting 271 00:10:41.370 --> 00:10:43.770 is that we're seeing this process in action 272 00:10:43.770 --> 00:10:46.250 during a, uh, galaxy merger. When 273 00:10:46.250 --> 00:10:49.130 galaxies collide, we see the most extreme 274 00:10:49.130 --> 00:10:51.890 versions of these processes. The most intense 275 00:10:51.890 --> 00:10:54.570 star formation, the most powerful winds, 276 00:10:54.650 --> 00:10:57.490 the strongest magnetic fields. It's like 277 00:10:57.490 --> 00:10:59.610 watching galaxy evolution and fast forward. 278 00:11:00.170 --> 00:11:01.930 Anna: What do we think the fate of 279 00:11:01.930 --> 00:11:04.490 IC1623 will be? 280 00:11:04.850 --> 00:11:06.690 Avery: Eventually, these two galaxies will 281 00:11:06.690 --> 00:11:09.210 completely merge into a single larger 282 00:11:09.210 --> 00:11:12.010 galaxy. The current burst of star formation 283 00:11:12.010 --> 00:11:14.290 will eventually exhaust much of the available 284 00:11:14.450 --> 00:11:17.090 gas. And what we're looking at now, this 285 00:11:17.090 --> 00:11:19.570 spectacular phase of cosmic winds and 286 00:11:19.570 --> 00:11:22.330 magnetic highways will fade. But the 287 00:11:22.330 --> 00:11:24.770 combined galaxy will carry the imprint of 288 00:11:24.770 --> 00:11:26.890 this violent event in its structure and 289 00:11:26.890 --> 00:11:29.530 stellar populations for billions of years to 290 00:11:29.530 --> 00:11:29.810 come. 291 00:11:30.300 --> 00:11:32.300 Anna: It's humbling to think that we're witnessing 292 00:11:32.300 --> 00:11:34.540 something that takes millions of years to 293 00:11:34.540 --> 00:11:37.180 play out. Just captured in a snapshot. 294 00:11:37.740 --> 00:11:40.260 Avery: Absolutely. And every time we point our 295 00:11:40.260 --> 00:11:42.860 telescopes at merging galaxies, we learn 296 00:11:42.860 --> 00:11:44.860 something new about the forces shaping the 297 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:46.620 universe's largest structures. 298 00:11:47.260 --> 00:11:49.460 Anna: Speaking of pointing our telescopes at the 299 00:11:49.460 --> 00:11:52.260 universe and finding surprises, Avery, we 300 00:11:52.260 --> 00:11:54.300 need to talk about this mysterious object 301 00:11:54.300 --> 00:11:56.580 that's been sending powerful signals across 302 00:11:56.580 --> 00:11:58.970 the galaxy. The headline says it's 303 00:11:58.970 --> 00:12:01.090 unlike anything we have seen before. 304 00:12:01.650 --> 00:12:04.490 Avery: That's not just hype, Anna. Astronomers have 305 00:12:04.490 --> 00:12:07.450 discovered something truly a 306 00:12:07.450 --> 00:12:10.370 cosmic object that's periodically sending out 307 00:12:10.370 --> 00:12:13.210 intense radio signals, and it doesn't 308 00:12:13.210 --> 00:12:16.050 fit into any category of known astronomical 309 00:12:16.050 --> 00:12:18.490 phenomena. It's one of those discoveries that 310 00:12:18.490 --> 00:12:20.530 makes you rethink what you thought you knew. 311 00:12:20.610 --> 00:12:22.610 Anna: Okay, you've got my attention. 312 00:12:23.610 --> 00:12:25.210 What exactly are we dealing with here? 313 00:12:25.450 --> 00:12:28.170 Avery: The object sends out extremely bright 314 00:12:28.170 --> 00:12:30.970 radio pulses that last about 30 to 315 00:12:30.970 --> 00:12:33.810 300 seconds. That's up to five minutes 316 00:12:33.810 --> 00:12:36.690 per pulse. And these pulses occur roughly 317 00:12:36.690 --> 00:12:39.490 every 2.9 hours with remarkable 318 00:12:39.490 --> 00:12:42.490 regularity. What makes this so unusual is 319 00:12:42.490 --> 00:12:45.330 the combination of that long period and the 320 00:12:45.330 --> 00:12:46.970 duration of the pulses themselves. 321 00:12:47.450 --> 00:12:50.010 Anna: When you say it doesn't fit known categories. 322 00:12:50.510 --> 00:12:52.790 What are the usual suspects for objects that 323 00:12:52.790 --> 00:12:54.670 send out regular signals like this? 324 00:12:54.990 --> 00:12:57.950 Avery: Great question. The two most common sources 325 00:12:57.950 --> 00:13:00.670 of periodic radio signals are pulsars 326 00:13:00.670 --> 00:13:03.230 and magnetars. Pulsars are 327 00:13:03.230 --> 00:13:05.830 rapidly spinning neutron stars that sweep 328 00:13:05.830 --> 00:13:08.000 beams of radiation across space like a, uh, 329 00:13:08.190 --> 00:13:10.910 cosmic lighthouse. But they typically pulse 330 00:13:10.910 --> 00:13:13.390 on the order of milliseconds to seconds, 331 00:13:13.630 --> 00:13:16.590 not hours. And their individual pulses are 332 00:13:16.590 --> 00:13:19.230 brief, usually milliseconds, not minutes. 333 00:13:19.820 --> 00:13:22.620 Anna: So this object is pulsing way too slowly to 334 00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:23.740 be a normal pulsar. 335 00:13:23.980 --> 00:13:26.820 Avery: Exactly. And the pulses last far too 336 00:13:26.820 --> 00:13:29.500 long. Magnetars, which are neutron 337 00:13:29.500 --> 00:13:31.900 stars with incredibly powerful magnetic 338 00:13:31.900 --> 00:13:34.540 fields, can sometimes produce longer period 339 00:13:34.620 --> 00:13:37.460 signals than regular pulsars. But even they 340 00:13:37.460 --> 00:13:39.980 don't typically operate on a three hour cycle 341 00:13:39.980 --> 00:13:41.900 with multi minute pulse durations. 342 00:13:42.220 --> 00:13:44.540 Anna: Have astronomers proposed any theories about 343 00:13:44.540 --> 00:13:45.260 what this could be? 344 00:13:45.680 --> 00:13:47.320 Avery: There are a few possibilities being 345 00:13:47.320 --> 00:13:50.040 investigated. One idea is that it could be a 346 00:13:50.040 --> 00:13:52.560 white dwarf in a binary system, which is two 347 00:13:52.560 --> 00:13:54.680 stars orbiting each other, where one is a 348 00:13:54.680 --> 00:13:57.240 white dwarf remnant. The interaction between 349 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.880 the two stars can potentially generate these 350 00:13:59.880 --> 00:14:02.720 periodic radio emissions. Another possibility 351 00:14:02.800 --> 00:14:05.480 is that we're seeing some kind of unusual 352 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:08.040 magnetar or pulsar that operates 353 00:14:08.040 --> 00:14:10.000 differently than the ones we studied before. 354 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:12.640 Anna: When was this object discovered and how? 355 00:14:13.210 --> 00:14:15.730 Avery: The discovery was made using radio telescope 356 00:14:15.730 --> 00:14:18.250 observations. And what's particularly 357 00:14:18.250 --> 00:14:20.490 intriguing is that the signals are powerful 358 00:14:20.490 --> 00:14:23.050 enough to be detected across vast distances. 359 00:14:23.610 --> 00:14:25.930 The exact distance to this object is still 360 00:14:25.930 --> 00:14:28.130 being determined, but the fact that we can 361 00:14:28.130 --> 00:14:30.650 detect such clear periodic signals 362 00:14:30.970 --> 00:14:33.450 suggests it's either relatively close in 363 00:14:33.450 --> 00:14:36.330 cosmic terms or it's Putting out tremendous 364 00:14:36.330 --> 00:14:37.130 amounts of energy. 365 00:14:37.530 --> 00:14:40.370 Anna: This reminds me of those fast radio bursts 366 00:14:40.370 --> 00:14:42.810 we've heard about. Brief, intense radio 367 00:14:42.810 --> 00:14:45.290 signals from across the universe. Is this 368 00:14:45.290 --> 00:14:45.610 related? 369 00:14:46.170 --> 00:14:48.530 Avery: That's a natural comparison, Anna. Um, but 370 00:14:48.530 --> 00:14:51.130 fast radio bursts FRBs are different. 371 00:14:51.610 --> 00:14:53.810 They're much briefer, Typically lasting 372 00:14:53.810 --> 00:14:56.250 milliseconds. Though some do repeat. 373 00:14:56.650 --> 00:14:59.250 This object's behaviour is more periodic and 374 00:14:59.250 --> 00:15:01.450 predictable, with much longer pulse 375 00:15:01.450 --> 00:15:03.810 durations. It's almost like comparing a 376 00:15:03.810 --> 00:15:06.090 strobe light to a slowly rotating 377 00:15:06.090 --> 00:15:06.810 searchlight. 378 00:15:07.150 --> 00:15:08.910 Anna: What's the next step for studying this 379 00:15:08.910 --> 00:15:10.110 mysterious object? 380 00:15:10.590 --> 00:15:12.750 Avery: Astronomers will be conducting follow up 381 00:15:12.750 --> 00:15:15.430 observations across multiple wavelengths. Not 382 00:15:15.430 --> 00:15:18.390 just radio, but also optical X ray and 383 00:15:18.390 --> 00:15:20.790 potentially others. They want to determine 384 00:15:20.790 --> 00:15:23.630 exactly where it is, Measure its properties 385 00:15:23.630 --> 00:15:26.430 in detail, and hopefully identify what type 386 00:15:26.430 --> 00:15:29.230 of object it is. Sometimes you need multiple 387 00:15:29.230 --> 00:15:31.150 types of observations to build a complete 388 00:15:31.150 --> 00:15:31.550 picture. 389 00:15:31.790 --> 00:15:34.430 Anna: Do discoveries like this happen often where 390 00:15:34.430 --> 00:15:36.710 we find something that just doesn't fit our 391 00:15:36.710 --> 00:15:37.710 existing models? 392 00:15:38.280 --> 00:15:39.960 Avery: More often than you might think. Actually, 393 00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:43.120 the universe keeps surprising us. Every 394 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:45.240 major improvement in our observing technology 395 00:15:45.400 --> 00:15:47.880 reveals new phenomena we didn't predict. 396 00:15:48.280 --> 00:15:51.160 Radio astronomy in particular has a history 397 00:15:51.160 --> 00:15:53.799 of unexpected discoveries. Pulsars 398 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:56.160 themselves were a complete surprise when they 399 00:15:56.160 --> 00:15:58.280 were first detected in 1967. 400 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:01.040 Anna: Could this turn out to be a whole new class 401 00:16:01.040 --> 00:16:02.840 of astronomical objects? 402 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:05.900 Avery: That's definitely possible. If follow up 403 00:16:05.900 --> 00:16:08.580 observations confirm that this truly doesn't 404 00:16:08.580 --> 00:16:11.420 fit into any existing category, it could 405 00:16:11.420 --> 00:16:14.220 indeed represent something new. Of course, it 406 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:16.540 might also turn out to be an extreme example 407 00:16:16.540 --> 00:16:19.540 of a known type of object just operating in a 408 00:16:19.540 --> 00:16:22.060 regime we haven't observed before. Either 409 00:16:22.060 --> 00:16:24.020 way, it's expanding our understanding of 410 00:16:24.020 --> 00:16:25.500 what's possible in the universe. 411 00:16:25.980 --> 00:16:28.060 Anna: I love that we're still finding things that 412 00:16:28.060 --> 00:16:30.180 make astronomers say we've never seen 413 00:16:30.180 --> 00:16:31.180 anything like this before. 414 00:16:31.830 --> 00:16:34.230 Avery: Me too, Anna. Um, it reminds us how much we 415 00:16:34.230 --> 00:16:35.910 still have to learn about the cosmos. 416 00:16:36.390 --> 00:16:39.070 Anna: Sticking with unexpected discoveries, let's 417 00:16:39.070 --> 00:16:41.390 talk about planets that orbit two suns. 418 00:16:41.390 --> 00:16:44.310 Tatooine style worlds. Avery. I understand 419 00:16:44.310 --> 00:16:46.390 these aren't as rare as scientists once 420 00:16:46.390 --> 00:16:46.710 thought. 421 00:16:47.349 --> 00:16:49.510 Avery: That's right, Anna. Uh, new research is 422 00:16:49.510 --> 00:16:51.070 challenging our assumptions about 423 00:16:51.070 --> 00:16:53.830 circumbinary planets. That's the technical 424 00:16:53.830 --> 00:16:56.510 term for planets that orbit both stars in a 425 00:16:56.510 --> 00:16:59.410 binary system. It turns out these Star 426 00:16:59.410 --> 00:17:01.770 wars style worlds might be more common than 427 00:17:01.770 --> 00:17:04.210 we previously believed, Especially around 428 00:17:04.210 --> 00:17:06.370 certain types of binary stars. 429 00:17:06.850 --> 00:17:09.370 Anna: Before we dive into the findings, let's set 430 00:17:09.370 --> 00:17:09.890 the stage. 431 00:17:09.970 --> 00:17:12.410 How common are binary star systems in the 432 00:17:12.410 --> 00:17:12.930 first place? 433 00:17:13.330 --> 00:17:15.650 Avery: Binary systems are actually incredibly 434 00:17:15.650 --> 00:17:18.410 common, Anna. Uh, roughly half of all sun 435 00:17:18.410 --> 00:17:21.330 like stars exist in binary or multiple 436 00:17:21.330 --> 00:17:23.810 star systems. So we're not talking about a 437 00:17:23.810 --> 00:17:26.609 rare cosmic curiosity here. Binaries 438 00:17:26.609 --> 00:17:29.169 are a fundamental component of the galaxy's 439 00:17:29.169 --> 00:17:30.009 stellar population. 440 00:17:30.729 --> 00:17:33.369 Anna: And we have discovered actual circumbinary 441 00:17:33.369 --> 00:17:35.569 planets already. Right. This isn't just 442 00:17:35.569 --> 00:17:36.249 theoretical. 443 00:17:36.649 --> 00:17:39.129 Avery: Absolutely. NASA's Kepler Space 444 00:17:39.129 --> 00:17:41.529 Telescope discovered the first confirmed 445 00:17:41.529 --> 00:17:44.009 circumbinary planets back in 2011, 446 00:17:44.329 --> 00:17:46.489 and we've found several more since then. 447 00:17:46.809 --> 00:17:49.689 These are real worlds orbiting two suns, 448 00:17:49.769 --> 00:17:52.230 just like Luke Skywalker's home planet. But 449 00:17:52.230 --> 00:17:54.630 the question has always been, how common are 450 00:17:54.630 --> 00:17:54.910 they? 451 00:17:55.390 --> 00:17:57.310 Anna: So what does this new research tell us? 452 00:17:57.790 --> 00:18:00.350 Avery: The study found that circumbinary planets 453 00:18:00.350 --> 00:18:02.870 appear to be particularly common around what 454 00:18:02.870 --> 00:18:05.790 are called equal mass binaries, systems 455 00:18:05.790 --> 00:18:07.949 where both stars are roughly the same size 456 00:18:07.949 --> 00:18:10.710 and mass. In these systems, the stable 457 00:18:10.710 --> 00:18:12.990 orbital zone where planets can form and 458 00:18:12.990 --> 00:18:15.510 survive, might actually be more favourable 459 00:18:15.510 --> 00:18:17.550 than astronomers previously calculated. 460 00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:20.840 Anna: Why would having two equal mass stars make it 461 00:18:20.840 --> 00:18:22.280 easier for planets to form? 462 00:18:22.600 --> 00:18:24.680 Avery: It has to do with gravitational stability. 463 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:27.320 When you have two stars of similar mass, 464 00:18:27.560 --> 00:18:29.440 their gravitational influence on the 465 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.760 surrounding disc of planet forming material 466 00:18:31.760 --> 00:18:34.240 is more balanced and predictable. There's 467 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:36.600 less chaotic variation in the gravitational 468 00:18:36.680 --> 00:18:39.440 forces acting on the disc. Which means there 469 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:41.360 are stable regions where material can 470 00:18:41.360 --> 00:18:43.160 accumulate and grow into planets. 471 00:18:43.790 --> 00:18:46.510 Anna: What about unequal binary systems? One big 472 00:18:46.510 --> 00:18:47.790 star and one small one. 473 00:18:48.190 --> 00:18:50.710 Avery: Those systems can still host circumbinary 474 00:18:50.710 --> 00:18:53.230 planets, but the dynamics are more complex. 475 00:18:53.470 --> 00:18:56.190 The larger star dominates gravitationally, 476 00:18:56.190 --> 00:18:58.550 and the smaller star creates additional 477 00:18:58.550 --> 00:19:00.910 perturbations that can make certain orbital 478 00:19:00.910 --> 00:19:03.710 regions unstable. It doesn't mean planets 479 00:19:03.710 --> 00:19:05.990 can't form, but the stable zones might be 480 00:19:05.990 --> 00:19:07.990 more limited or located at different 481 00:19:07.990 --> 00:19:08.510 distances. 482 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:11.040 Anna: This has implications for the search for 483 00:19:11.040 --> 00:19:12.680 habitable worlds, doesn't it? 484 00:19:13.080 --> 00:19:15.920 Avery: Very much so. If circumbinary planets 485 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:18.040 are more common than we thought, especially 486 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:21.000 in equal mass binaries, that increases the 487 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:23.280 overall number of potential planetary 488 00:19:23.280 --> 00:19:25.640 environments in the Galaxy. Some of these 489 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:27.800 could potentially be in the habitable zone, 490 00:19:27.800 --> 00:19:30.200 the region where liquid water could exist on 491 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:31.160 a planet's surface. 492 00:19:31.560 --> 00:19:33.960 Anna: Although I imagine having two suns would 493 00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:35.480 complicate the climate situation 494 00:19:35.560 --> 00:19:36.360 significantly. 495 00:19:37.010 --> 00:19:39.210 Avery: You're absolutely right. The climate on a 496 00:19:39.210 --> 00:19:41.730 circumbinary planet would be fascinatingly 497 00:19:41.730 --> 00:19:44.370 complex. You'd have variations in heating 498 00:19:44.450 --> 00:19:46.770 depending on the orbital positions of both 499 00:19:46.770 --> 00:19:49.570 stars relative to the planet. Some times of 500 00:19:49.570 --> 00:19:51.850 the year, both suns might be on the same side 501 00:19:51.850 --> 00:19:54.290 of the sky, providing intense combined 502 00:19:54.290 --> 00:19:56.770 heating. Other times they'd be on opposite 503 00:19:56.770 --> 00:19:59.170 sides, creating more balanced illumination. 504 00:19:59.730 --> 00:20:01.490 Anna: How did researchers arrive at these 505 00:20:01.490 --> 00:20:03.730 conclusions about circumbinary planet 506 00:20:03.730 --> 00:20:04.290 frequency? 507 00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:07.020 Avery: They combined observational data from 508 00:20:07.020 --> 00:20:09.820 telescope surveys with sophisticated computer 509 00:20:09.820 --> 00:20:12.460 modelling of how planets form in binary star 510 00:20:12.460 --> 00:20:15.340 systems. By simulating thousands of different 511 00:20:15.340 --> 00:20:18.220 scenarios with various binary configurations, 512 00:20:18.540 --> 00:20:20.940 they could identify patterns about which 513 00:20:20.940 --> 00:20:23.580 systems are most likely to host planets. 514 00:20:24.060 --> 00:20:26.540 Anna: Are there any specific systems astronomers 515 00:20:26.540 --> 00:20:28.780 are now targeting for follow up observations? 516 00:20:28.860 --> 00:20:31.150 Based on these findings, the research 517 00:20:31.310 --> 00:20:31.910 definitely. 518 00:20:31.910 --> 00:20:34.470 Avery: Points to equal mass binaries as high 519 00:20:34.470 --> 00:20:36.430 priority targets for planet hunting 520 00:20:36.430 --> 00:20:39.110 campaigns. Missions like NASA's upcoming 521 00:20:39.110 --> 00:20:41.990 Nancy Grace Roman Telescope and continuing 522 00:20:41.990 --> 00:20:44.030 observations from ground based facilities 523 00:20:44.270 --> 00:20:46.750 will be keeping a close eye on these systems. 524 00:20:47.070 --> 00:20:49.630 Every new circumbinary planet we discover 525 00:20:49.710 --> 00:20:51.310 helps refine our models. 526 00:20:51.790 --> 00:20:54.510 Anna: It's exciting to think those iconic twin 527 00:20:54.510 --> 00:20:56.830 sunset scenes from Star wars might be more 528 00:20:56.830 --> 00:20:58.590 common in the universe than we realised. 529 00:20:59.320 --> 00:21:01.680 Avery: It really is, Anna. Um, the universe keeps 530 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:03.880 proving that the reality can be just as 531 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:06.360 spectacular as science fiction, Sometimes 532 00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:07.320 even more so. 533 00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:10.280 Anna: And for our final storey today, Avery, we're 534 00:21:10.280 --> 00:21:12.400 talking about a discovery that touches on one 535 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:15.400 of astronomy's biggest questions. The search 536 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:17.880 for life beyond Earth. Scientists have 537 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:20.480 detected a molecule critical to life in 538 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:23.120 interstellar space for the first time. Tell 539 00:21:23.120 --> 00:21:24.280 us about this breakthrough. 540 00:21:24.850 --> 00:21:27.410 Avery: This is genuinely exciting, Anna. Uh, for the 541 00:21:27.410 --> 00:21:30.210 first time ever, astronomers have detected 542 00:21:30.290 --> 00:21:33.090 ethylenamine, a molecule that plays a 543 00:21:33.090 --> 00:21:35.650 crucial role in forming cell membranes 544 00:21:35.890 --> 00:21:38.610 floating in the vast spaces between stars. 545 00:21:38.930 --> 00:21:41.410 This discovery has profound implications for 546 00:21:41.410 --> 00:21:43.290 how we think about the building blocks of 547 00:21:43.290 --> 00:21:44.290 life in the universe. 548 00:21:44.770 --> 00:21:47.290 Anna: Let's start with the basics. What exactly is 549 00:21:47.290 --> 00:21:50.210 ethyl enamine and why is it so important to 550 00:21:50.210 --> 00:21:50.530 life? 551 00:21:51.170 --> 00:21:53.850 Avery: Ethylenamine is an organic molecule that's a 552 00:21:53.850 --> 00:21:56.610 key component of phospholipids, which are the 553 00:21:56.610 --> 00:21:59.170 primary building blocks of cell membranes. 554 00:21:59.330 --> 00:22:01.850 Think of cell membranes as the walls and 555 00:22:01.850 --> 00:22:04.450 gates of cells. They define the boundary 556 00:22:04.450 --> 00:22:07.130 between the inside and outside of a cell and 557 00:22:07.130 --> 00:22:09.490 control what goes in and out. Without 558 00:22:09.490 --> 00:22:12.450 molecules like ethylenamine, you can't build 559 00:22:12.530 --> 00:22:14.530 functional cell membranes. And, uh, without 560 00:22:14.690 --> 00:22:17.330 cell membranes, you can't have cells as we 561 00:22:17.330 --> 00:22:17.810 know them. 562 00:22:18.530 --> 00:22:21.290 Anna: Though this is truly fundamental to life, at 563 00:22:21.290 --> 00:22:23.690 least life as we understand it. Where was 564 00:22:23.690 --> 00:22:24.850 this molecule detected? 565 00:22:25.410 --> 00:22:27.970 Avery: The discovery was made in a molecular cloud, 566 00:22:28.050 --> 00:22:31.050 one of these vast cold regions of space where 567 00:22:31.050 --> 00:22:33.850 gas and dust accumulate and where new 568 00:22:33.850 --> 00:22:36.530 stars and planetary systems eventually form. 569 00:22:37.010 --> 00:22:39.170 These clouds are essentially stellar 570 00:22:39.170 --> 00:22:41.370 nurseries. And finding life, building 571 00:22:41.370 --> 00:22:43.850 molecules there suggest that the ingredients 572 00:22:43.850 --> 00:22:46.170 for life might be getting incorporated into 573 00:22:46.170 --> 00:22:48.290 planetary systems right from the start. 574 00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:51.580 Anna: How do scientists actually detect specific 575 00:22:51.580 --> 00:22:54.540 molecules in interstellar space? I imagine 576 00:22:54.540 --> 00:22:56.860 you can't exactly collect a sample. 577 00:22:57.260 --> 00:22:59.420 Avery: Great question. They use radio 578 00:22:59.420 --> 00:23:02.380 spectroscopy. Every molecule has a unique 579 00:23:02.380 --> 00:23:04.880 spectroscopic signature. Think of it like a, 580 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:07.100 uh, molecular fingerprint. Different 581 00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:09.980 molecules absorb and emit light at specific 582 00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:12.580 wavelengths. Radio telescopes can detect 583 00:23:12.580 --> 00:23:14.740 these signatures, allowing astronomers to 584 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:17.060 identify what molecules are present in 585 00:23:17.060 --> 00:23:19.630 distant clouds, even though those clouds are 586 00:23:19.630 --> 00:23:20.910 trillions of miles away. 587 00:23:21.470 --> 00:23:24.030 Anna: We've found other organic molecules in space 588 00:23:24.030 --> 00:23:26.910 before, haven't we? What makes this discovery 589 00:23:26.910 --> 00:23:27.230 special? 590 00:23:27.790 --> 00:23:30.390 Avery: You're absolutely right, Hannah. Astronomers 591 00:23:30.390 --> 00:23:32.590 have detected more than 200 different 592 00:23:32.590 --> 00:23:34.990 molecules in interstellar space, including 593 00:23:35.150 --> 00:23:37.390 amino um, acids and sugars. But 594 00:23:37.390 --> 00:23:40.030 ethylnamine is special because of its direct 595 00:23:40.030 --> 00:23:43.030 connection to cell membrane formation. It's 596 00:23:43.030 --> 00:23:45.150 one thing to find amino um, acids, the 597 00:23:45.150 --> 00:23:47.570 building blocks of proteins, but finding a 598 00:23:47.570 --> 00:23:49.850 molecule that's essential for creating the 599 00:23:49.850 --> 00:23:52.810 actual structure of cells takes us another 600 00:23:52.890 --> 00:23:55.370 step closer to understanding how life's 601 00:23:55.370 --> 00:23:57.450 fundamental architecture might arise. 602 00:23:57.930 --> 00:24:00.170 Anna: Does this discovery change our thinking about 603 00:24:00.170 --> 00:24:02.410 where the building blocks of life come from? 604 00:24:02.809 --> 00:24:05.570 Avery: It definitely supports the hypothesis that 605 00:24:05.570 --> 00:24:07.690 many of life's essential molecular 606 00:24:07.690 --> 00:24:10.330 ingredients aren't created on planets after 607 00:24:10.330 --> 00:24:13.290 they form, but rather arrive from space. 608 00:24:14.120 --> 00:24:16.040 We already know that meteorites deliver 609 00:24:16.120 --> 00:24:19.080 organic compounds to planets. We found amino 610 00:24:19.080 --> 00:24:21.080 acids in meteorites that have fallen to 611 00:24:21.080 --> 00:24:23.800 Earth. This discovery suggests that 612 00:24:23.800 --> 00:24:26.520 even more complex life related molecules 613 00:24:26.520 --> 00:24:27.960 could be delivered from space. 614 00:24:28.600 --> 00:24:31.320 Anna: Though in a sense, the raw materials for 615 00:24:31.320 --> 00:24:33.880 life might be common throughout the galaxy. 616 00:24:34.280 --> 00:24:36.760 Avery: That's the tantalising possibility this 617 00:24:36.760 --> 00:24:39.760 raises. If molecules like ethanolamine can 618 00:24:39.760 --> 00:24:42.280 form in the harsh conditions of interstellar 619 00:24:42.280 --> 00:24:45.020 space, then these building blocks might be 620 00:24:45.020 --> 00:24:47.100 present in molecular clouds throughout the 621 00:24:47.100 --> 00:24:49.860 galaxy. Every time a new planetary 622 00:24:49.860 --> 00:24:52.420 system forms, it could be inheriting these 623 00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:54.100 pre made components of life. 624 00:24:54.660 --> 00:24:56.940 Anna: This doesn't mean life is automatically 625 00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:58.780 everywhere though, right? Having the 626 00:24:58.780 --> 00:25:00.940 ingredients doesn't guarantee you'll bake the 627 00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.300 cake. 628 00:25:01.700 --> 00:25:04.340 Avery: Exactly. This is about potential and 629 00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:07.020 possibility. Having the molecular building 630 00:25:07.020 --> 00:25:09.980 blocks is necessary for life, but it's not 631 00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:12.140 sufficient. You still need the right 632 00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:14.380 conditions for those molecules to assemble 633 00:25:14.380 --> 00:25:17.300 into functioning biological systems. The 634 00:25:17.300 --> 00:25:20.220 right temperature, pressure, energy sources, 635 00:25:20.620 --> 00:25:23.620 solvents like liquid water, and probably a 636 00:25:23.620 --> 00:25:25.820 host of factors we don't fully understand 637 00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:26.380 yet. 638 00:25:26.700 --> 00:25:28.500 Anna: What are the next steps for this kind of 639 00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:28.780 research? 640 00:25:29.340 --> 00:25:31.780 Avery: Astronomers will be looking for ethanolamine 641 00:25:31.780 --> 00:25:34.140 and similar molecules in other molecular 642 00:25:34.140 --> 00:25:36.220 clouds to see how widespread they are. 643 00:25:36.560 --> 00:25:38.360 They'll also be searching for even more 644 00:25:38.360 --> 00:25:40.840 complex organic molecules that might be 645 00:25:40.840 --> 00:25:43.200 precursors to biological chemistry. 646 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:46.240 Every molecule we find helps us piece 647 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:48.200 together the storey of how inanimate 648 00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:50.960 chemistry transitions to the chemistry of 649 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:51.280 life. 650 00:25:51.840 --> 00:25:54.040 Anna: It's remarkable to think that the membrane 651 00:25:54.040 --> 00:25:56.560 surrounding every cell in our bodies might 652 00:25:56.560 --> 00:25:58.760 have had their chemical ancestors floating 653 00:25:58.760 --> 00:26:00.960 between the stars billions of years ago. 654 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:03.800 Avery: It really is Anna, uh, it connects us to the 655 00:26:03.800 --> 00:26:06.720 cosmos in a very tangible way. We're 656 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:09.160 not just made of stardust in an abstract 657 00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:12.120 sense. The actual molecular machinery 658 00:26:12.120 --> 00:26:14.920 of life may have origins that predate Earth 659 00:26:14.920 --> 00:26:15.400 itself. 660 00:26:16.040 --> 00:26:18.680 Anna: What a perfect note to end today's episode on 661 00:26:18.840 --> 00:26:21.280 a reminder that we're part of a universe wide 662 00:26:21.280 --> 00:26:23.480 chemistry experiment that's been running for 663 00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:24.440 billions of years. 664 00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:27.320 Avery: Well, that wraps up another day of space and 665 00:26:27.320 --> 00:26:29.840 astronomy news. From NASA's Artemis 666 00:26:29.840 --> 00:26:32.120 preparations to the discovery of life's 667 00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:34.360 building blocks floating between the stars, 668 00:26:34.790 --> 00:26:37.670 the universe continues to amaze and inspire. 669 00:26:38.230 --> 00:26:40.750 Anna: It really does. Thanks so much for joining us 670 00:26:40.750 --> 00:26:43.030 today, everyone. Remember, you can find us at 671 00:26:43.030 --> 00:26:45.750 astronomydaily.IO for full episode 672 00:26:45.750 --> 00:26:47.350 transcripts and additional content. 673 00:26:47.510 --> 00:26:49.830 Avery: And don't forget to follow us on social media 674 00:26:49.990 --> 00:26:52.870 astrodailypod for daily updates 675 00:26:52.870 --> 00:26:54.630 and space news throughout the week. 676 00:26:54.950 --> 00:26:57.430 Anna: Until next time, keep looking up 677 00:26:57.910 --> 00:26:59.110 clear skies, everyone. 678 00:26:59.670 --> 00:27:01.110 Avery: Astronomy Day 679 00:27:02.790 --> 00:27:03.990 Storeys be told. 680 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.160 Anna: Love. 681 00:27:10.800 --> 00:27:12.160 Avery: Storey soul. 682 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:13.880 Hmm.