Section 1.1: The Role of Formaldehyde and Ammonia

The synthesis of amino acids and sugars often depends on formaldehyde and ammonia. However, these substances tend to decompose in the extreme conditions of space, leading researchers to wonder how large quantities of organic material might have formed within asteroids. The latest findings could provide insight into this enigma.

“HMT remains stable at room temperature and can generate both formaldehyde and ammonia when heated with liquid water in asteroids,” noted Yasuhiro Oba from Hokkaido University in Japan.

During the early days of our Solar System, asteroids experienced heating due to collisions and radioactive decay. Sufficient heat could cause HMT to break down into formaldehyde and ammonia, which could then react to form amino acids and other intricate organic molecules.

Subsection 1.1.1: Amino Acids and Their Importance

Amino acids are vital for producing proteins, which play essential roles in biological functions, including those found in hair and nails, and regulating chemical reactions.

The existence of organic compounds in asteroids has been a focus of extensive research; however, the mechanisms of their formation continue to intrigue scientists. Laboratory experiments indicate that combinations of water, ammonia, and methanol under space-like conditions can yield organic compounds, including HMT.

Researchers have shown that interstellar ice, which includes water and ammonia, can also contain notable amounts of methanol, suggesting that HMT should be prevalent in water-rich asteroids. Yet, it has never been detected in laboratory-examined asteroids until now.

The recent research implies that when hexamine is subjected to typical laboratory conditions, it may break down, which could explain why it was previously overlooked in samples that once contained the compound.

Section 1.2: Extraction Techniques

A unique extraction method was employed to isolate HMT while minimizing its degradation. This technique enabled the team to gather samples of hexamine from three meteorites that landed on Earth: Murchison, Murray, and Tagish Lake.

To ensure the hexamine detected in the samples was not contamination from Earth, researchers took great care with the Murchison meteorite, which was stored in a sealed container at the Chicago Field Museum. This meticulous handling ensured the Murchison sample was the most uncontaminated ever analyzed for amino acids.

Organic substances can arise from both abiotic processes and biological organisms. Researchers assert that “HMT, which can yield crucial prebiotic molecules like formaldehyde and ammonia upon degradation, is a likely precursor to meteoritic organic compounds of astrochemical and astrophysical significance.”

This discovery supports the hypothesis that complex organic materials may have rained down on Earth from space.