NASA has discovered hydrocarbons on Hyperion, one of Saturn’s moons. If the building blocks of life are so readily available in our solar system, just imagine the possibilities in our galaxy or the universe. 😀

“Of special interest is the presence on Hyperion of hydrocarbons–combinations of carbon and hydrogen atoms that are found in comets, meteorites, and the dust in our galaxy,” said Dale Cruikshank, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., and the paper’s lead author. “These molecules, when embedded in ice and exposed to ultraviolet light, form new molecules of biological significance. This doesn’t mean that we have found life, but it is a further indication that the basic chemistry needed for life is widespread in the universe.”
Source: SpaceFlightNow