Buckyballs everywhere in space

[n2doc]

NASA Astronomers have discovered an abundance of buckyballs -the largest known molecules in space. They used the Spitzer Space Telescope to find the carbon spheres throughout our Milky Way galaxy -- in the space between stars and around three dying stars. The Spitzer also detected buckyballs around a fourth dying star in a nearby galaxy in huge, unexpected quantities -- the equivalent in mass to about 15 of our moons.

A study of R Coronae Borealis stars by David L. Lambert, Director of The University of Texas at Austin’s McDonald Observatory, and colleagues shows that buckyballs are more common in space than previously thought.

The miniature spheres were first discovered in a lab on Earth 25 years ago, but it wasn't until this past July that Spitzer was able to provide the first confirmed proof of their existence in space. At that time, scientists weren't sure if they had been lucky to find a rare supply, or if perhaps the cosmic balls were pervasive.

"It turns out that buckyballs are much more common and abundant in the universe than initially thought," said astronomer Letizia Stanghellini of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, Ariz. "Spitzer had recently found them in one specific location, but now we see them in other environments. This has implications for the chemistry of life. It's possible that buckyballs from outer space provided seeds for life on Earth."

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http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2011/03/new-discoveries-about-the-largest-molocules-in-space-hint-at-a-life-centric-universe.html#more

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. poor old Fuller must be embarrassed, with his balls

exposed for all to see.

carbon is pretty neat stuff. It sticks to everything, even on a molecular level. It provides heat (oil, gas, peat, wood, coal), it provides cold (diamonds), and even headaches (Organic Chemistry exams)

[CherokeeDem]

2. Organic Chemistry Exams....

I had a lot of carbon headaches from that source as well. Even now, years later, driving by the Chemistry-Physics building makes my heart rate go up!

[Johonny]

3. I liked to think Rick Smalley is smiling somewhere

[sakabatou]

4. Space be TRIPPING balls