Expert: Tom Whiting - 9/14/2006

Question
I've been searching on the internet and I can't seem to find an definitive answer to this question.  Have any organic molecules been found on either the debris of comets, or meteorites?  I could be wrong but I understood we found fossils of organic molecules on meteorites. Have we ever found any evidence of something organic on any object outside this world?  I'm really curious.  Thanks.

Answer
Hi again, Marc,
Well, this is kind of out of my field (but I'll still give it a shot) ;-) I never had an organic chemistry course, but I did have 24 hours of inorganic chemistry at the University level.

Ok, for research starters, try
http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/news/expandnews.cfm?id=1367
the key term being "astrobiology"  (the course without a
subject.... as yet, in my humble opinion   ;-)  :-)

Since "organic" implies "life" ....one has to be very careful here with this sensitive subject.   That is, many periodicals, websites, and newspapers tend to "sensationalize" this topic,
(to sell more of their wares, of course)
and perhaps extrapolate way beyond what the actual science tells us.  So, I would stick with known sites and sources that we pretty much know are authentic and reliable (read that- non-sensationalized)  sources;  NASA, JPL, and
Sky & Telescope, for starters, and perhaps...enders too.

Ok, to the question...my background in chemistry tells me
that virtually ANY molecule tied (especially symmetrically)
to the carbon atom, by definition...is "organic" chemistry.
So that would include methane (CH4), alcohol (all varieties)
formaldehyde, ethelene glycol (anti-freeze), sugar...etc. etc.
And all of these "organics" have been found in space,
particularly in and around large dust clouds called nebulae.

As far as bodies, well Jupiter is about 70% methane (an organic molecule) atmosphere as are all the gas giant planets.  (No, they won't explode as there is no free oxygen present).
And we think Saturn's moon Titan is loaded with some sort
of black "organic" goo on it's surface...as is perhaps the dark side of the Saturian moon Iapetus.  (Both at extremely low temperatures, of course).

As far as comets and meteorites, I believe I did read something to the effect that a basic amino acid was found
on that latest meteorite fall in Canada....and some "hydrocarbon" bubbles have been found in another.

So I guess it depends on how exotic you want to define
"organic molecules"..... but as far as carbon-based life
forms, or DNA and RNA...No, I don't believe any of that
higher stuff has been, as yet,  discovered.  As you've probably researched, there was a Martian meteorite found in
Antarctica that allegedly contained what was first thought
to be fossilized small bacterial-type (using an electron
microscope they were so small) very symmetrical  holes or crystals that led to some excitement in the beginning.  But now other studies of regular inorganic chemical reactions under certain conditions, were found that can do, or mimic,  the same thing.  So I guess that one is still up in the air,
being highly debated, the last I heard.

So basically, to answer your last sentence,  while we have found basic organic molecules, many of which are what we
call the building "blocks" of carbon-based organic life,
as far as I know,  No, we have yet to find anything that would suggest that carbon-based lifeforms exist elsewhere
in either the Solar System or the nearby stars.  That of course,
doesn't mean that life does not exist elsewhere...I'm just
saying that as of right now, we have no definitive proof of same.

Hope all this helps,
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA
and if you have any further research questions, feel free to
contact me directly at
bwhiting@velocity.net
if you wish.