Maps of planet-forming zones will help the hunt for alien life

摘要

PLANETARY nurseries have been mapped in the most detail yet, and they are richer than expected in organic molecules -the basic chemical building blocks for life to arise. Studying such maps could help us understand whether we are alone in the universe. Planets are thought to form in areas of dust and gas called protoplanetary discs, which encircle young stars. We have observed these discs in the past, and even seen signs of planets taking shape in them, but the Molecules with ALMA at Planet-forming Scales (MAPS) project has mapped the chemical composition of these areas in more detail than before, using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).