Discovery reveals rapid pathways to complex aromatic molecules in space
A team of researchers led by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Chemistry has uncovered a faster way large carbon-based molecules may form in space, helping solve a long-standing mystery about how some of the building blocks of the universe grow.
Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have discovered a faster method for forming complex aromatic molecules in space, providing insight into how these building blocks of the universe develop. The study, published in Nature Communications in August 2026, introduces a new chemical process that could account for the swift creation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—large carbon and hydrogen molecules found throughout the cosmos.
While scientists have recognized the abundance of PAHs in space, traditional theories struggled to explain their rapid formation to match astronomical observations and data from carbon-rich asteroids like Ryugu. The breakthrough lies in a newly identified reaction that can construct these intricate molecules much more swiftly than previously believed.
Instead of adding carbon atoms sequentially, this process allows multiple chemical bonds to form simultaneously, accelerating the growth of larger molecules. Experiments simulating the extreme temperatures around dying stars and other energetic environments in space validated this new pathway, yielding several predicted large PAHs that older models could not adequately explain.
This discovery enhances our understanding of carbon evolution in the universe and the creation of increasingly complex molecules, which are thought to play a crucial role in stellar, planetary, and solar system chemistry.
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