Radio telescopes help scientists map molecules in space and uncover where and how stars form

Interstellar maps can help scientists find patterns that tell them about fundamental chemical processes in the cosmos.

By: Olivia Harper Wilkins, Dickinson College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 14, 2026

Words: 1,452

Last Updated: 3 days, 11 hours ago

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By Olivia Harper Wilkins, Dickinson College

You may have heard the phrase “we are made of star-stuff.” This statement by the astronomer Carl Sagan refers to the fact that elements heavier than hydrogen and helium were forged in the centers of the first stars. But how does this star-stuff evolve into the chemistry of rocks, plants and people?

As an astrochemist and radio astronomer, I study the places in the universe where …

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