Researchers at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory have teamed up to get a fresh look at the complex makeup of meteorites and glimpse into our solar system’s past.

Powerful spectrometry found only at the MagLab identified the vast array of organic compounds inside two meteorites, and Brookhaven scientists followed up with images detailing the structure of some of those extraterrestrial molecules. Their research suggests that the chemical foundation for life is deeply woven into the fabric of the universe and broadens our understanding of the cosmic ingredients that rained down on early Earth, potentially kickstarting life as we know it. The study was published in The Planetary Science Journal.

“This can shed light on how much complex organic material is out in space,” said Joseph Frye-Jones, who led the mass spectrometry research as a Florida State University graduate research assistant and is the lead author on the paper.