Our Galaxy Is Greasy?

[hazelm]

Are we made of star dust?  Or are we made of grease?  That was my first reaction to

 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180627160357.htm

 

I have a strange feeling  that we aren't getting the full story here.  But there must be a need for this grease in our bodies or we wouldn't have it, would we?

 

What it says is "Our galaxy is rich in grease-like molecules.  Space between the stars contains grease-like carbon atoms (aliphatic) and mothball-like carbon atoms (aromatic).  The researchers want to study both forms of carbon and hopefully learn how they contribute to life.

 

My imagination is running away with me but If these molecules contribute to life, they surely are the beginning of life.  At least until someone asks where those atoms came from. 

Edited June 29, 2018 by hazelm

[exchemist]

Are we made of star dust?  Or are we made of grease?  That was my first reaction to

 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180627160357.htm

 

I have a strange feeling  that we aren't getting the full story here.  But there must be a need for this grease in our bodies or we wouldn't have it, would we?

 

What it says is "Our galaxy is rich in grease-like molecules.  Space between the stars contains grease-like carbon atoms (aliphatic) and mothball-like carbon atoms (aromatic).  The researchers want to study both forms of carbon and hopefully learn how they contribute to life.

 

My imagination is running away with me but If these molecules contribute to life, they surely are the beginning of life.  At least until someone asks where those atoms came from. 

You're right. What a terrible analogy. What they have found they make in this simulation is two types of hydrocarbon, not "grease" at all. One form is aliphatic (like diesel fuel or camping gas) and the other is aromatic (like benzene or naphthalene i.e.  mothballs). Both types are found in crude oil. 

 

Grease is something else entirely.

[hazelm]

You're right. What a terrible analogy. What they have found they make in this simulation is two types of hydrocarbon, not "grease" at all. One form is aliphatic (like diesel fuel or camping gas) and the other is aromatic (like benzene or naphthalene i.e.  mothballs). Both types are found in crude oil. 

 

Grease is something else entirely.

Maybe it is a situation of  local dialect.  I have heard the word grease used for oil, lard, bacon grease,  anything else you'd put in a skillet to fry something.  That's the only excuse I can think of.  Recipes will even say "grease the skillet".  You can even use butter if you want to but you are using "grease".    In trying to talk down to a lay person, they end up  talking down to themselves. 

 

If I am thinking straight, they are simply saying life stems from hydrogen, carbon (and they haven't touched the others yet).  Didn't we already know this?  Anyway, they have skipped over skummy ponds and thermal geysers and hot volcanic lava to say "this is where it all began". 

 

I await chapter two.   

[Vee]

everything has oil :) the missing link is apes were the top race with quite the floral diet. *cough* 

Who knows we might just be descendants of plants. an example The Venus flytrap, Dionaea muscipula, a carnivorous plant.

​we gaining knowledge to study it. our intelligence evolved usually due to some sort of challenge.

​another example would be a dragon tree a tree that bleeds a red sap substance profusely, similar to our main arteries being cut.

​anyway any element you can think of has an oil or oil sub it makes em visible :) (Light) (Electricity is just crackling blue flames)