Spitzer Finds Life Components in Young Universe

[C1ay]

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has found the ingredients for life all the way back to a time when the universe was a mere youngster.

 

lefthttp://hypography.com/gallery/files/9/9/8/ssc2005-15b_200_thumb.jpg[/img]Using Spitzer, scientists have detected organic molecules in galaxies when our universe was one-fourth of its current age of about 14 billion years. These large molecules, known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are comprised of carbon and hydrogen. The molecules are considered to be among the building blocks of life.

 

These complex molecules are very common on Earth. They form any time carbon-based materials are not burned completely. They can be found in sooty exhaust from cars and airplanes, and in charcoal broiled hamburgers and burnt toast.

 

The molecules, pervasive in galaxies like our own Milky Way, play a significant role in star and planet formation. Spitzer is the first telescope to see these molecules so far back in time.

 

"This is 10 billion years further back in time than we've seen them before," said Dr. Lin Yan of the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. Yan is lead author of a study to be published in the August 10 issue of the Astrophysical Journal. Previous missions -- the Infrared Astronomical Satellite and the Infrared Space Observatory -- detected these types of galaxies and molecules much closer to our own Milky Way galaxy. Spitzer's sensitivity is 100 times greater than these previous infrared telescope missions, enabling direct detection of organics so far away.

 

Since Earth is approximately four-and-a-half billion years old, these organic materials existed in the universe well before our planet and solar system were formed and may have even been the seeds of our solar system. Spitzer found the organic compounds in galaxies where intense star formation had taken place over a short period of time. These "flash in the pan" starburst galaxies are nearly invisible in optical images because they are very far away and contain large quantities of light-absorbing dust. But the same dust glows brightly in infrared light and is easily spotted by Spitzer.

 

Spitzer's infrared spectrometer split the galaxies' infrared light into distinct features that revealed the presence of organic components. These organic features gave scientists a milepost to gauge the distance of these galaxies. This is the first time scientists have been able to measure a distance as great as 10-billion light years away using the spectral fingerprints of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

 

"These complex compounds tell us that by the time we see these galaxies, several generations of stars have already been formed," said Dr. George Helou of the Spitzer Science Center, a co-author of the study. "Planets and life had very early opportunities to emerge in the universe."

 

Other co-authors include Ranga-Ram Chary, Lee Armus, Harry Tepliz, David Frayer, Dario Fadda, Jason Surace, and Philip Choi, all of the Spitzer Science Center.

 

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at Caltech. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. Spitzer's infrared spectrograph was built by Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. Its development was led by Dr. Jim Houck of Cornell.

 

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite was a joint scientific project sponsored by the United States, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The Infrared Space Observatory was a European Space Agency mission with Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science and NASA.

 

For information on the Spitzer Space Telescope visit: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/spitzer/.

 

For more information on NASA missions and programs visit: http://www.nasa.gov.

 

Source: Spitzer

[infamous]

This new information about the presence of these compounds in the early universe must naturally increase the odds for extraterrestrial life. Very interesting thought don't you think??

[C1ay]

This new information about the presence of these compounds in the early universe must naturally increase the odds for extraterrestrial life. Very interesting thought don't you think??

Yes, i thought it was quite a thought provoking article, particuarly in light of some popular discussions here. If we look at our own growth of the rate of growth of technology it is easy to see how life only 1000-2000 years older than our own could be much more technologically advanced. Imagine if there is life out there millions of years ahead of us.

[infamous]

Yes, i thought it was quite a thought provoking article, particuarly in light of some popular discussions here. If we look at our own growth of the rate of growth of technology it is easy to see how life only 1000-2000 years older than our own could be much more technologically advanced. Imagine if there is life out there millions of years ahead of us.

Absolutely C1ay, I was also wondering how this new data might influence the Drake equation, considering how this equation predicts a rather large possibility for the existence of estraterrestrial life already. In our galaxy alone, the Drade equation yields apporx. 1000 posibilities. When we multiply this figure times the number of galaxies within this 10 billion light year radius, the probability is staggering. Even when one understands that this equation is only an estimate, and an exact percentage is unknowable, this new information expands the probability exponentially. An amazing thought, we may not be alone!!

[Southtown]

"This is

10 billion years further

back in time than we've seen them before," said Dr. Lin Yan...

 

This is the first time scientists have been able to measure a distance as great as

10-billion light years away

...

 

So which is it? LOL

[Erasmus00]

"This is

10 billion years further

back in time than we've seen them before," said Dr. Lin Yan...

 

This is the first time scientists have been able to measure a distance as great as

10-billion light years away

...

 

So which is it? LOL

 

Both of the lines you underline say 10 billion. I fail to see the contradiction?

-Will

[infamous]

Both of the lines you underline say 10 billion. I fail to see the contradiction?

-Will

Southtown is just trying to play the critic, and poorly I might add.

[Mr. Potato Head]

Southtown is just trying to play the critic, and poorly I might add.

 

One says years and the other says light years. Aren't those different?

[Tormod]

One says years and the other says light years. Aren't those different?

 

In this context they are the same. The observed light has travelled roughly 10 billion years to reach us, hence it is ten billion light years away.

[Harzburgite]

In our galaxy alone, the Drade (sic) equation yields apporx. 1000 posibilities.

I beg to differ. The equation yields between 1 and 1,000,000+, depending upon how you assess each aspect of it. Using the equation to provide even an estimate of the number of civilisations is something of a misapplication: the equation was established to focus attention on factors controlling the development of life and intelligence, not to compute numbers.

[Southtown]

Southtown is just trying to play the critic, and poorly I might add.

If it's the first time we've seen 10 BLY out, and it's 10 BY further back in time than we've seen before, what was the length backwards in time we were able to see previous?

 

a. 20 BY

b. 10 MY

c. 10² BY

d. 0

 

Sorry I wasn't clear. My question assumes we've seen into space before. LOL

 

P.S. What the hell is Hazburger talking about?

[C1ay]

What the hell is Hazburger talking about?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation