Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery that could change how we think about life’s ingredients in the universe.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scientists have found complex organic molecules—carbon-based compounds that form the basis of life—frozen in ice around a young star called ST6 in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small galaxy near the Milky Way.
The discovery, led by Dr. Marta Sewilo from the University of Maryland and NASA, was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on October 20, 2025.
With Webb’s powerful Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), Sewilo’s team identified five different organic molecules trapped in ice around the forming star. These include methanol, ethanol, methyl formate, acetaldehyde, and acetic acid—the same compound found in vinegar.
One molecule, acetic acid, has never been clearly detected in space ice before.
The other molecules are the first of their kind ever found frozen in a galaxy beyond the Milky Way.
The researchers also spotted hints of another molecule called glycolaldehyde, which is related to sugar and can lead to the formation of more complex molecules like RNA, though this finding still needs confirmation.
According to Sewilo, Webb’s incredible sensitivity and resolution made this possible.
“Before Webb, methanol was the only complex organic molecule ever confirmed in ice around protostars—even in our own galaxy,” she explained. “Now, we’re seeing a much richer chemical environment than we could have imagined.”
What makes this even more remarkable is the environment where the discovery was made.
The Large Magellanic Cloud, about 160,000 light-years from Earth, has fewer heavy elements—such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen—than our galaxy.
It’s also bombarded by strong ultraviolet radiation. This harsh setting resembles the early universe, when galaxies were young and chemically simple.
“These conditions let us study how complex organic chemistry works in primitive galaxies,” said Sewilo. “It tells us that these life-related molecules can form even where resources are limited.”
Study co-author Dr. Will Rocha from Leiden University added that complex organic molecules can form both in gas and on icy dust grains in space. Laboratory experiments suggest that most of them are created on dust surfaces before being released into gas. The team’s detection supports this idea, showing that these molecules can form even in tough, low-metal environments.
Finding these molecules frozen around a forming star suggests that the seeds of life may have begun appearing much earlier in cosmic history than previously thought—and under more extreme conditions. Sewilo’s team plans to study more young stars in nearby galaxies to learn how widespread these vital chemical ingredients might be.
“This is just the beginning,” Sewilo said. “We’re starting to uncover how complex chemistry—and possibly life’s origins—took root across the universe.”
Source: UM.
