Mystery molecule found on both Pluto and Saturn’s moon leaves astronomers stumped: ‘We cannot say what it is’

Key Points:

• Astronomers have discovered an unidentified molecule on the surfaces of both Pluto and Saturn’s moon Titan, indicating a unique shared chemistry between these distant worlds despite their vastly different environments.
• Data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope revealed a common light absorption feature in the atmospheres of Titan and Pluto, but the exact molecule causing this feature remains unknown after extensive comparison with known molecular absorption bands.
• Researchers suggest possible candidates for the molecule include allenes, benzene, ketene, or acetylene mixed with other compounds, but further testing is needed to confirm these hypotheses.
• The molecule appears to be more prevalent on the surfaces rather than in the atmospheres of both bodies, with their methane–nitrogen atmospheres potentially playing a role in its formation.
• Future observations with JWST and NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Titan, planned for the mid-2030s, are expected to provide more detailed information to identify the molecule and understand its distribution and origin.