Astronomers have detected a rare form of the organic alcohol methanol around very young stars, the first time this molecule has been found in space.

The discovery came from the ALMA COMPASS Large Program, which surveyed planet-forming regions. The Perseus molecular cloud, about 1,000 light-years from Earth, hosts at least one young star surrounded by the molecule.

The team found that young, still-forming stars are surrounded by a surprisingly rich chemical starter kit. Organic molecules like methanol may one day enrich planets forming around these stars.

Jes Jorgensen of the Niels Bohr Institute, the program’s principal investigator, said the results offer new insight into chemistry around the youngest protostars.

The key question is how these ingredients influence conditions on planets and potentially the origin of life there.

The COMPASS program brings together astronomers from across the globe. ALMA’s sensitivity makes it possible to detect faint molecular fingerprints around distant stars.

Understanding this chemistry matters because these molecules may seed the raw materials that later enrich planets, and perhaps life itself.