Abstract
Imagine a large dark cloud sitting passively in space for an incredibly long time. Known as a giant molecular cloud, it is more than 300 light years across—one of the largest objects in the galaxy. It is also one of the coldest, consisting of molecular hydrogen hovering near absolute zero. Somewhere nearby a massive star filled with heavier atoms like carbon suddenly runs out of material for nuclear fusion. In a fraction of a second, the huge sun collapses on itself, and then blows apart in the awesome explosion of a supernova, spreading carbon into nearby space and into our giant molecular cloud. With the injection of carbon and the possible help of some ultraviolet irradiation, the cloud slowly begins to evolve into a different place. Over millions of years, particles heat up and re-combine spontaneously into organic substances.
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© 1994 David H. Levy
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Levy, D.H. (1994). Are We the Progeny of Comets?. In: The Quest for Comets. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-5998-0_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-5998-0_14
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