cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/659341

This article summarizes findings showing that the Spitzer telescope has observed the spectral signature of tryptophan in an extrasolar system.

This isn't the first instance of amino acids found extra-terrestrially (previously found on asteroids), but is the first found outside our solar system. Tryptophan has a very strong and very clear spectral signature (it is ubiquitously used in life sciences for example).

doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad1535