Speaker
Description
In the past decade, Astrochemistry has witnessed an impressive increase in the number of detections of new molecular species in space. The majority of these detections are related to complex organic molecules (or COMs), defined as carbon-based compounds with more than five atoms in their molecular structure. Interestingly, some of these complex organics are of prebiotic interest, and hence, they are believed to be involved in the first biochemical processes that led to life. Recently, we have obtained ultra-sensitive, broadband spectral surveys toward the G+0.693 molecular cloud located in the Galactic Center, and known to be one of the richest chemical repositories of the Milky Way. Our spectral surveys carried out with the IRAM 30m, Yebes 40m and APEX telescopes, have allowed us to detect more than 25 new molecular species, which include precursors of ribonucleotides, nucleobases, amino acids, sugars, proto-proteins and proto-lipids, as proposed in theories of the origin of life. In this talk, I will present how AtLAST will be a key instrument in the discovery of new complex organic species, revealing the complete prebiotic inventory in the ISM.