Chirality in Space
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Biological molecules are often made up of a single enantiomer (handedness) because a specific shape is important in enzyme (biological catalyst) chemistry.
(need to add, explain examples of chirality like left and right hands and tetrahedral molecules...)
Abiotic reactions, carried out by traditional chemical means, produce alternative enantiomers in equal ratios.
Biased chirality could be considered as a sign of living systems. Also, there is the question of can abiotic systems produce unbalanced abundances of chiral molecules.
There is research being conducted on the abundance of chiral molecules in space.
- http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/06/first-mirror-image-molecule-spotted-interstellar-space
- https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/first-chiral-molecule-discovered-in-space/
- https://theanalyticalscientist.com/issues/1215/exploring-chirality-in-outer-space/
- https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/first-detection-of-chiral-molecule-in-space/1010170.article
- https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/02/how-did-life-begin-its-chemistry-101-but-in-space/
- https://public.nrao.edu/news/2016-chiral-gbt/
- https://www.smithsonianmag.com/space/must-all-molecules-life-be-left-handed-or-right-handed-180959956/
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/astrochemists-detect-chiral-molecules-in-interstellar-space-for-the-first-time/
See also
