When the sun's super-flares hit the cold earth's atmosphere four billion years ago, it gradually became more hospitable to life.
Scientists created a couple of potential RNA nucleotide ancestors in order to better understand the chemical processes leading to the formation of life on earth.
Researchers spotted cyanide found in a gas disk around a star are in similar proportions in comets circling the sun.
The machine can building molecules from scratch from building blocks.
Comet Lovejoy, which has joined the solar system after 12,000 years, will streak across the skies through the first month of the new year.
