Scientists discover never-before-seen organic molecules in Sutter’s Mill meteorite

The remains of the Sutter’s Mill meteorite were quickly recovered, so that scientists could study the meteorite with little exposure to the elements.

According to a September 10 news release from Arizona State University (ASU), scientists have made a remarkable discovery regarding the possible catalog of molecules available to the early Earth.

Led by ASU research professor Sandra Pizzarello, a team of scientists discovered that the Sutter’s Mill meteorite – which exploded in a giant fireball last year – yields organic molecules not previously seen in any meteorites.  The discovery suggests that there is a much greater availability of extraterrestrial organic molecules than previously believed possible.

The findings appear this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in an article entitled, “Processing of meteoritic organic materials as a possible analog of early molecular evolution in planetary environments.”

Sutter’s Mill is also the site which drove the onset of the 1849 California Gold Rush.  As the meteorite was detected by Doppler weather radar, the remains were quickly recovered, so that scientists could study the meteorite with little exposure to the elements.

“The analyses of meteorites never cease to surprise you… and make you wonder,” said Pizzarello.  ”This is a meteorite whose organics had been found altered by heat and of little appeal for bio- or prebiotic chemistry, yet, the very Solar System processes that lead to its alteration seem also to have brought about novel and complex molecules of definite prebiotic interest such as polyethers.”

Pizzarello and her team heat-treated meteorite fragments, and then detected the compounds released using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.  The hydrothermal conditions of the experiments mimicked early Earth conditions, and released a complex mix of oxygen-rich compounds.  The scientists believe that this is the result of oxidative processes in the meteorite.

The discovery adds to the catalog of organic compounds produced in extraterrestrial environments, and provides evidence to the discussion of whether or not their arrival to the early Earth by comets and meteorites aided the molecular evolution that heralded the origins of life.