In space molecules don't have sunglasses !

'In space molecules don't have sunglasses ! You got all these stars out there, what's to protect this molecule from getting sunburned over the hundreds of millions of years its been wandering out in space ?'
- Richard E. Smalley, shared 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovery of buckyballs (C60).

Quote from the Nova episode 'Race to catch a Buckyball', discussing how Buckminster fullerene or C60 could survive in interstellar space due to its incredible photoresistance to a wide spectrum of harsh radiations. Because of its incredible stability, C60 has its own built-in sunblock. Most other interstellar molecules don't survive very long outside of molecular clouds.

Although the origin of certain interstellar absorption bands is still under debate, the possibility of naturally occurring C60 near carbon stars and in outer space is highly controversial.

Image was raytraced using Real 3D with procedural script.

Quotation re-printed by permission of the Public Broadcasting Corporation.

More 'atom' humour from the Laser Cooling and Trapping group, Oxford.

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