In a groundbreaking new discovery, astronomers have used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to detect a chemical signature of a protoplanetary disk around a young sun-like star. This is the first time a chemical signature of a protoplanetary disk has been detected, indicating the presence of planets in their infancy. The discovery could open up new possibilities for understanding how planets form and evolve.

Scientists have long known that planets form in the disks of gas and dust that surround young stars. But until now, they have never been able to detect a chemical signature of these protoplanetary disks. In a new study published in Nature Astronomy, an international team of astronomers used ALMA to detect the chemical signature of a protoplanetary disk around a young star in the constellation of Taurus. This is the first time a chemical signature of a protoplanetary disk has been detected, indicating the presence of planets in their infancy.

This exciting new discovery could open up a whole new field of study, allowing scientists to better understand the formation and evolution of planets. With ALMA, astronomers can now look for chemical signatures of protoplanetary disks around other young stars, allowing them to gain further insight into the

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source: Phys.org