8 October 2026Science

ALMA astronomers find exotic methanol in planet-building zones

Astronomers using ALMA have found exotic methanol in zones where planets form.

Several large radio antennas under a starry night sky. — This panoramic shows a crystal-clear sky on any night is always a joy to behold. ESO/B. Tafreshi (twanight.org) via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

An international team of astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has discovered exotic methanol in planet-building zones. The U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a partner in ALMA.

The team combined expertise from across the globe in the work, which opens a new window on how the organic molecules that seed planets, and potentially life, form in space.

Several large radio antennas under a starry night sky with the Milky Way visible. — This view shows several of the ALMA antennas and the central regions of the Milky Way above. ESO/B. Tafreshi (twanight.org) via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Sourcephys.org

Get the day in space before breakfast.