Hubble Finds First Organic Molecule on an Exoplanet

[radioactive]

Just got this news via email :-

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has made the first detection ever of an organic molecule in the atmosphere of a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting another star. This breakthrough is an important step in eventually identifying signs of life on a planet outside our solar system. The molecule found by Hubble is methane, which under the right circumstances can play a key role in prebiotic chemistry — the chemical reactions considered necessary to form life as we know it. This illustration depicts the extrasolar planet HD 189733b with its parent star peeking above its top edge.

you can find more on this by using this link

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2008/11/

[Paxo]

Thanks for posting this Martyn, it makes interesting reading. Just like most of science, a small step forward results in many more questions than answers, but that's what make it exciting.

Another link to the same story:

http://www.physorg.com/news125154601.html

Steve..