The last module of Stardust, INFRA-ICE, is ready! This module is dedicated to simulate the chemistry taking place in the densest regions of the interstellar medium, the so-called dense molecular clouds. As such, INFRA-ICE expands the capabilities of Stardust allowing for the complete journey of cosmic dust to be…
Background image: Spiral structure around the red giant star R Sculptoris. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/M. Maercker et al. The formation of interstellar carbon dust in dying stars is still not fully understood. In particular, the interaction of atomic carbon with the most abundant chemical species in the atmosphere of red…
Researchers in Spain have designed a vacuum chamber capable of mimicking conditions on Mars to test gear for use in future missions SOURCE: WASHINGTON, March 25, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire A research team in Spain has the enviable job of testing out new electromechanical gear for potential use in future missions to the «Red Planet.» They…
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Despite their abundance and ubiquity in space, the origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is still a mystery for astronomers. Gas phase chemistry models, this is, simple collisions between C atoms and C-containing molecules, and soot formation mechanisms can not easily account for the observed amount of PAHs, as they…
Entrevista a Jose Angel Martin Gago publicada en «El Mundo digital». Por Mónica Luna. Nanotecnología para explicar el origen de la vida
Fast diffusing cysteine molecules on the Au surface can be regarded as a 2D molecular gas. Molecular “evaporation” and “condensation” from the gas on the surface morphological features takes place continuously. This process leads progressively to the formation of a number of stable arrangements, not previously reported, like single-molecular rows,…
Un equipo de investigadores del Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC) ha comprobado que a partir de la sal Azul de Prusia se pueden obtener cianuro de hidrógeno, urea y otras sustancias consideradas esenciales en la formación de las primeras moléculas biológicas. Para realizar el estudio, publicado en la revista Chemistry &…
NASA and Google announced the release of a new Mars mode in Google Earth that brings to everyone’s desktop a high-resolution, three-dimensional view of the Red Planet.
El centro de Astrobiología dispone de una nueva unidad de simulación de ambientes planetarios e interestelares dedicada a reproducir en un laboratorio las condiciones de presión, atmosfera y temperatura de diferentes planetas.