Molecules Essential for Life Detected in Star-Forming Region Outside the Milky Way
New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope reveal the presence of complex organic molecules in a neighboring galaxy, suggesting the building blocks of life might potentially be more common throughout the universe than previously thought.
For the first time, scientists have directly verified the presence of complex organic molecules in the interstellar ice of another galaxy. The groundbreaking analysis, based on data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), provides compelling evidence that the fundamental chemistry for life can arise in environments beyond our own Milky Way, and in conditions that existed much earlier in the universe than previously understood.
The detection of these molecules in the ice surrounding a protostar outside the Milky Way represents a notable leap forward for the field of astrobiology.An international team,led by astronomer Marta Sewilo of the University of Maryland and NASA,published their findings on October 20,2025,in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.This research utilized the James Webb Space Telescope to identify, for the first time, fundamental compounds for life in the Large Magellanic Cloud – the galaxy closest to our own.
The revelation centered on the young protostar ST6, where scientists detected five complex organic molecules: methanol, ethanol, methyl formate, acetaldehyde, and acetic acid. According to a team statement, this finding demonstrates that the fundamental chemistry for life can arise in other galaxies. While some of these compounds have terrestrial applications in industrial and food processes, they had never been identified in ice outside the Milky Way before.
Moreover, the team found spectral signatures of glycolaldehyde, a precursor molecule to structures like RNA, though additional studies are needed to confirm this identification definitively. The Large Magellanic Cloud,located approximately 160,000 light years from Earth,possesses unique characteristics that make it an ideal “natural laboratory” for studying the origins of complex molecules. Its low metallicity – a lower concentration of heavy elements compared to the Milky Way – mirrors conditions in the early universe.
“The low-metallicity environment, with fewer elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, resembles galaxies from earlier cosmological epochs,” explained Sewilo. “What we learn in the large Magellanic Cloud can be applied to understanding more distant galaxies, when the universe was much younger.” This combination of low metallicity and high levels of ultraviolet radiation creates an extreme environment where the formation of complex molecules can be studied.
The advances were made possible by the medium infrared instrument (MIRI) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope. Its angular sensitivity and resolution enabled the identification of faint spectral signals associated with ice around the distant protostar – a feat unattainable with previous technologies. “It is thanks to the remarkable sensitivity and high angular resolution of JWST that we can detect these faint spectral features associated with ices around such a distant protostar,” Sewilo emphasized. “The spectral resolution of JWST is high enough to allow reliable identifications.”
Until now, methanol was the only molecule conclusively detected in ices around protostars, and only within our own galaxy. This new discovery provides an unprecedented amount of data about the chemical composition of interstellar ices in other galaxies, revealing a universe that is richer and more diverse than previously imagined. The presence of complex organic molecules in interstellar ice under conditions similar to those of the early universe suggests that the fundamental building blocks for life could have formed much earlier and in more varied environments than previously considered.
The JWST’s ability to detect these compounds in a low-metallicity region leads specialists to believe that life might potentially be able to arise in a wider range of areas and times throughout the universe than previously thought. While the study does not prove the existence of life beyond Earth,it does suggest that these molecules could persist during the evolution of planetary systems and become incorporated into young planets,perhaps providing opportunities for life to emerge in diverse locations.
The team led by Sewilo plans to expand their research to other protostars in both the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Small Magellanic Cloud, comparing the abundance of these molecules to those found in the Milky Way. Currently, only one source in the Large Magellanic Cloud and four in the Milky Way have been identified as containing these molecules in interstellar ices. The goal is to gather larger samples to confirm potential differences between galaxies and gain a better understanding of the origin and distribution of complex chemistry in the universe.This advancement marks a crucial step in unraveling how the fundamental ingredients for life can arise in a wide variety of cosmic contexts.
