Astronomers just found a key precursor for life in interstellar space

Researchers from the Spanish Astrobiology Centre in Madrid have detected ethanolamine in space and published their findings in a yet-to-be peer-reviewed paper.

Ethanolamine forms part of the phospholipid molecules that comprise cell membranes. It forms the hydrophilic head of the PE class of phospholipids, which are found in all living cells, making up 25% of all phospholipids. In nervous system components of human physiology, they comprise 45% of all phospholipids.

The research team studied Sagittarius B2, a massive molecular cloud of gas and dust located 390 light-years from the center of the Milky Way. In search of ethanolamine, they simulated the expected spectrum produced by the chemical and looked for this in the light coming from the galaxy and found clear evidence for its presence.

"This has important implications not only for theories of the origin of life on Earth but also on other habitable planets and satellites anywhere in the Universe," said the team.

Astronomers have previously found ethanolamine in meteorites but haven't reached a consensus on how it got there. The researchers suggest ethanolamine could have been transferred to our planet from these kinds of celestial bodies, in turn helping life to form.

You can read more from the paper here.