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. 1998 Jul 31;281(5377):672-4.

Circular polarization in star-formation regions: implications for biomolecular homochirality

J Bailey  1 , A Chrysostomou, J H Hough, T M Gledhill, A McCall, S Clark, F Ménard, M Tamura
Affiliations
  • PMID: 9714676

Circular polarization in star-formation regions: implications for biomolecular homochirality

J Bailey et al. Science. .

Abstract

Strong infrared circular polarization resulting from dust scattering in reflection nebulae in the Orion OMC-1 star-formation region has been observed. Circular polarization at shorter wavelengths might have been important in inducing chiral asymmetry in interstellar organic molecules that could be subsequently delivered to the early Earth by comets, interplanetary dust particles, or meteors. This could account for the excess of L-amino acids found in the Murchison meteorite and could explain the origin of the homochirality of biological molecules.

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Comment in

  • Did twisty starlight set stage for life?
    Irion R. Irion R. Science. 1998 Jul 31;281(5377):626-7. doi: 10.1126/science.281.5377.626b. Science. 1998. PMID: 9714668 No abstract available.
  • Cosmic chirality.
    Green MM, Selinger JV. Green MM, et al. Science. 1998 Oct 30;282(5390):880-1. doi: 10.1126/science.282.5390.879e. Science. 1998. PMID: 9841434 No abstract available.

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