KHUSHI KUMARI
Image Source: FREEPIK
Researchers have synthesized methanetetrol (C(OH)₄)—a “super alcohol” featuring four hydroxyl (–OH) groups bonded to a single carbon, long theorized in interstellar chemistry
In the lab, scientists froze a mix of water and CO₂ under ultra-cold temperatures and near-vacuum, then bombarded it with high-energy radiation mimicking cosmic rays
The process triggered a chemical reaction that produced the elusive methanetetrol, confirming theories from over a century ago
This finding demonstrates that deep-space chemistry is far more complex and surprising than previously thought
Such discoveries may help us understand how organic molecules and building blocks of life form in the cold, dark realms of the universe
Although methanetetrol is too unstable to exist on Earth, its formation in simulated space conditions unlocks new directions in astrochemistry and astrobiology