On Titan, possible life ingredient seen

摘要

A molecule that could help build otherworldly life is present on Saturn's moon Titan, researchers have discovered. Vinyl cyanide, a compound predicted to form membranelike structures, is created in Titan's upper atmosphere, scientists report July 28 in Science Advances. The researchers calculate that there's enough vinyl cyanide (C_2H_3CN) in Titan's methane seas to make about 10 million cell-like balls per cubic centimeter of ocean. On Earth, about a million bacteria are in a cubic centimeter of coastal ocean water.