Mysterious light may come from the largest molecules found in space

The wavelengths of light emitted by large molecules called fullerene-metal complexes in the lab match up with unexplained infrared signals from space

Space 28 July 2022

Buckyballs are made of spherical arrangements of carbon atoms

LAGUNA DESIGN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Unexplained infrared emissions from inside and outside our galaxy may be linked to some of the largest molecules found in space.

Fullerenes, or buckyballs, are molecules shaped like hollow objects such as spheres, made up of 60 or more carbon atoms. They have been identified a handful of times in space, but more complicated forms containing metals, called fullerene-metal complexes, have yet to be found by astronomers.

These metal complexes are crucial for many carbon-based chemical reactions, including some that produce potential …