Astronauts have identified some unusual smells in space; This is not surprising, considering the chemistry here is very different from that on Earth. So what does space smell like and what are the cosmic sources of these smells?
Space is an airless vacuum, so technically you can’t smell anything in space; If you tried you’d be dead. But, space is not a complete vacuum. It’s full of all kinds of molecules, and some of them have their own strong smells when we smell them. Soil. Learning what different parts of space smell like is a really great way to better understand cosmic chemistry.
Relating to: Astronaut says International Space Station has a ‘weird smell’
What do astronauts smell?
During Apollo astronauts on moon landings often comments on a gunpowder-like odor Once back in the airlock, they entered the confines of the lunar lander and removed their helmets. Similarly, astronauts returning to the confines of the International Space Station after a spacewalk report space odor. ozone and burnt steak as well as gunpowder.
So, what’s going on? Where does the smell come from?
Scientists have two good theories. First, when an astronaut is on a spacewalk, Single oxygen atom can stick to spacesuitand when they re-enter the airlock and re-pressurize, molecular oxygen (O2 or two oxygen atoms) flows into the airlock and combines with single oxygen atoms to form ozone or O3. This might explain the sour, metallic smell.
But what about other scents? There’s probably something else going on. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), found in charred foods like burnt toast and barbecued meat, also routinely occur in space. In fact, most of the interstellar carbon is trapped in PAHs. They also have plenty solar systemThus, they can easily be picked up by astronauts and taken to the space station or space capsule, and are likely the source of the burning flesh smell reported by astronauts.
In fact, NASA does not see the smells of space as just a matter of curiosity. In 2008, the agency commissioned Steven Pearce, a chemist at Omega Ingredients who specializes in scents and flavors, to reconstruct the scents of space for astronauts in training. After all, an astronaut needs to be able to distinguish the difference between the smell of PAHs on a spacesuit and a dangerous chemical leak aboard the space station.
Stinky comets
So we have an idea of what space near Earth smells like. But what about further afield?
Other places in the universe also have unique smells; I wish we could go this far to smell them.
The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft encountered comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko In 2014 this A rich variety of molecules detected in the comet’s comagaseous halo surrounding the solid nucleus of a comet. These molecules include hydrogen sulfide, which gives rotting eggs their bad smell; ammonia, reminiscent of the disgusting smell of urine; hydrogen cyanide, which is notorious for its poisonous nature but has a more appealing almond-like odor; sweet smelling carbon disulfide; and the briny flavor of formaldehyde.
You’ll probably turn your nose up at this scent combination. But if there were any smell, it would probably be quite faint, as the comet’s coma consists mostly of water vapor and carbon dioxide.
gasoline moon
One of the places where there is an atmosphere to hold the smell Saturnbiggest bear, Titan. But the atmosphere doesn’t really help us smell anything. There is no oxygen and it is cold. minus 292 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 179.6 degrees Celsius) – so taking off our spacesuit helmet and taking deep breaths isn’t actually an option. But if we could, we would see that Titan smells of gasoline.
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. After all, gasoline or petroleum is made from crude oil rich in hydrocarbons, which are molecules composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms, such as methane and ethane. Titan’s atmosphere contains: a dense hydrocarbon plumeLiquid hydrocarbons form oily lakes and rivers on the moon’s surface. But methane, the dominant hydrocarbon on Titan, has no odor. So what creates the scent of the moon?
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft An unknown chemical was detected in Titan’s hazy atmosphere HE NASA laboratory experiments It has been identified that there is a molecule on Earth that belongs to a family of molecules called polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocycles (PANHs), which include nitrogen, methane and benzene. Since benzene is also found naturally in gasoline, it is specifically the benzene in PANHs that gives Titan its oil smell.
A cloud of boozy gas
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So the solar system is a pretty stark place, but what about the rest of the universe?
Sagittarius B2 is a giant interstellar molecular cloud of star-forming gas and dust located 400 light-years from the center. Milky Way, a place where all kinds of aromatic chemistry goes on. For something, contains large amounts of alcoholincluding vinyl alcohol, methanol, and ethanol, the type of alcohol in beer.
In 2009, astronomers also detected the ethyl formate molecule The spring is in B2. Ethyl formate is the chemical that gives raspberries and rum their sweet scents, so even if the center of our galaxy smells like a brewery, it will at least be a pleasant environment.