It was just this month that NASA was able to introduce us to Pluto in a clearer perspective. This time around, the Philae lander launched by The European Space Agency was able to transmit information about Comet 67P or Churyumov-Gerasimenko Comet last July 9. The said information revealed that there were organic molecules found in the said comet that suggests life could come from planets interacting with comets.
According to New York Times, Philae has landed on Comet 67P or Churyumov-Gerasimenko Comet last November 19, 2014. It has been on and off since then depending upon the solar energy it is able to receive while the comet moves on orbit. However, last June 13, Philae was able to transmit 12-minute long uninterrupted transmissions to Rosetta orbiter but is now currently unresponsive at the moment.
The said information contained new and intriguing facts about the composition of comets that was never examined before. Jean-Pierre Birbing, the lead scientist for Philae lander concluded that they were able to discover large, dark grains, about a millimeter or more wide which appeared to be made of complex light-absorbing organic molecules. Furthermore, it also suggested that the deluge of gas interacting with high-speed particles from the sun enabled them to be able to have a clearer look at the southern hemisphere of the comet as it draws itself nearer to the sun.
According to CNN, the specifics of the information gathered included the discovery of 16 organic compounds labeled as carbon and nitrogen-rich particles in the comet. This was serious information that suggests further studies need to be conducted as these are information that were never before detected in comets observed by NASA and The European Space Agency before. As the experts put it, the compounds found play a key role in the prebiotic synthesis of amino acids, sugars, proteins and other particles that are the primary ingredients for life to emerge.
Now that we know Pluto has certain similarities to Earth and that Comet 67P or Churyumov-Gerasimenko Comet also composes of similar particles that make up the Earth to date, what else do you think will The European Space Agency and NASA figure out in the years to come as they continue to examine our universe? Post your comments below.
