Source: [astrobio.net]

In a new study, astrobiologists are attempting to recreate substances found in the atmosphere of Titan known as tholins. These organic aerosols are formed as radiation and interact with the thick atmosphere of the Saturnian moon. The production of organics in Titan’s atmosphere could help astrobiologists better understand the conditions in which life arose on the early Earth.

The study was led by Dr. Chao He at the University of Houston (now of Johns Hopkins University). Chao is a chemist studying Tholin Chemical Analysis Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance with the NASA Astrobiology Intitute (NAI) team at NASAJPL.