COLOQUIOS DIFT

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DIFT Colloquium: Izaskun Jiménez-Serra

El próximo 8 de octubre de 2026, a las 15:30, el ciclo DIFT Colloquium contará con la participación de Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, quien impartirá el coloquio titulado “Towards prebiotic chemistry in the interstellar medium” en el Auditorio del CFTMAT.

Tras el coloquio tendrá lugar el tradicional coffee, que ofrecerá la oportunidad de continuar el intercambio científico de manera informal.

Resumen

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 Yebes 40m and IRAM 30m telescopes, have allowed us to detect nearly 30 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 all these findings and analyze how chemical complexity builds up in the interstellar medium, not only in the extreme environment of the Galactic Center, but also during the initial conditions of Solar-system formation.

DIFT Colloquium: Izaskun Jiménez-Serra

On October 8, 2026, at 3:30 p.m., the DIFT Colloquium series will host Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, who will deliver a talk entitled “Towards prebiotic chemistry in the interstellar medium” in the CFTMAT Auditorium.

The colloquium will be followed by the traditional coffee, providing an opportunity to continue the scientific discussion in an informal setting.

Abstract

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 Yebes 40m and IRAM 30m telescopes, have allowed us to detect nearly 30 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 all these findings and analyze how chemical complexity builds up in the interstellar medium, not only in the extreme environment of the Galactic Center, but also during the initial conditions of Solar-system formation.