Scientists find out where in space alcohols

Scientists have learned that the complex molecules of alcohols can be formed and react with each other in open space due to quantum tunneling, which allows them to atoms combine with each other and with other substances.

At the same time, these processes do not interfere even extremely low temperatures, has found a group of researchers led by Dwayne Heard from the University of Leeds.

To find out how the formation of the alcohol molecules in outer space, scientists have tried to replicate these conditions in the laboratory.

For this purpose they are cooled molecule spray of droplets of a simple alcohol, methanol, to a temperature of minus 210 degrees Celsius. They are then irradiated using its "cosmic ray" and mixed with another compound - so-called particles hydroxyl radical (OH). After a few hours chemists counted the number of reacting molecules and compared it with the forecast.

It was found that the reactor contained 50 times more products from the interaction of these substances than researchers expect to see.

As a result, scientists have concluded that the reason for the phenomenal activity of chemicals was quantum tunneling. According to the calculations of researchers, hydroxyl radicals are "leaking" through the energy barrier, forming an unstable compound with methanol, which subsequently disintegrated.

Scientists believe that in this way could be the primary reserves of terrestrial organic matter.

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