Gamma radiation can convert methane into a wide variety of products at room temperature, including hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing molecules, and amino acids, according to a new article published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Gamma radiation can convert methane into a wide variety of products at room temperature, including hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing molecules, and amino acids, according to a new article

This type of reaction probably plays an important role in the formation of complex organic molecules in the universe—and possibly in the origin of life.