Of interstellar carbon and extraterrestrial nitrogen.

[exoscientist]

This might re-ignite the EPH debate but anyway:<br /><br />Posted: May 5, 2006<br />Meteorites Discovered To Carry Interstellar Carbon.<br />"The tell-tale signs are lots of deuterium and 15N chemically bonded to carbon," commented co-author Larry Nittler. "We have known for some time, for instance, that interplanetary dust particles (IDP), collected from high-flying airplanes in the upper atmosphere, contain huge excesses of these isotopes, probably indicating vestiges of organic material that formed in the interstellar medium. The IDPs have other characteristics indicating that they originated on bodies--perhaps comets--that have undergone less severe processing than the asteroids from which meteorites originate." <br />"The scientists found that some meteorite samples, when examined at the same tiny scales as interplanetary dust particles, actually have similar or even higher abundances of 15N and D than those reported for IDPs. "It's amazing that pristine organic molecules associated with these isotopes were able to survive the harsh and tumultuous conditions present in the inner solar system when the meteorites that contain them came together," reflected co-author Conel Alexander. "It means that the parent bodies--the comets and asteroids--of these seemingly different types of extraterrestrial material are more similar in origin than previously believed." <br />http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060505192530.htm <br /><br /> Both the carbon and nitrogen are inferred to be of interstellar origin. It is notable then nitrogen in relationship to organic carbon has been proposed as a signature for extraterrestrial life:<br /><br />Extraterrestrial Life.<br />"Fri, 05 May 2006 - When searching for life, most researchers have been hunting the Solar System for signs of liquid water; past and present. But geobiologists from the University of Southern California think that more effo <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>