The Universe’s First Type of Molecule Is Found at Last

Scientists on the airborne observatory SOFIA detected the first type of molecule that ever formed in the universe. They found the combination of helium and hydrogen, called helium hydride, in a planetary nebula near the constellation Cygnus. This discovery confirms a key part of our basic understanding of the early universe and how it evolved over billions of years into the complex chemistry of today.

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Video Credit: NASA/Ames Research Center

Planetary nebula image courtesy of NASA/ESA/Hubble Processing: Judy Schmidt

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