Revealing the smell of the Milky Way

While studying a giant cloud of gas and dust in the center of the Milky Way, German astronomers discovered it contained chemicals that make up the flavor of raspberries.

Astronomers have found polymeric compounds belonging to the group of alcohols, organic acids and aldehyde in the Milky Way.Photo: current.com.

Astronomers from the Max Planck Research Institute (Germany) are looking for evidence of the existence of amino acids - a group of chemicals that make up life - in the universe. They used the IRAM telescope in Spain to analyze electromagnetic radiation emanating from a dense area of ​​material surrounding a newborn star.

Radiation from the star is absorbed by molecules in the cloud of gas dust, then the molecules emit radiation at different energy levels (the energy level depends on the type of molecule).

During data analysis, the team discovered the existence of ethyl formate - the chemical that makes the flavor of raspberries - in the cloud of gas dust. They also found propyl cyanide (a toxic chemical) in the cloud.

'Ethyl formate creates the flavor of raspberries, but if you want the Milky Way to have a similar flavor, we need more molecules,' said astronomer Arnaud Belloche, a member of the research team. stated.

Last year, Arnaud Belloche and colleagues discovered a molecule that can produce amino acids in the universe. It is an acetonitrile amino. Previously, astronomers also found a variety of polymeric compounds belonging to groups of alcohol, organic acids and aldehyde in the Milky Way.

Raspberries belong to creeping trees, hairy and thorny branches, single leaves with feathers, leaf blades divided into 5 lobes. Beam-shaped inflorescences have 5 white wings, many male stamens, many red carpels. When ripe flowers turn into nuts, gathered into dual fruits look like raspberries. Raspberries (raspberry) ripe have a beautiful bright red color, sweet and sour taste, delicious food.