Deep within our Milky Way, near its center, lies Sagittarius B2 an enormous molecular cloud packed with gas and dust. But this isn’t just any cosmic cloud. It contains a staggering amount of ethyl alcohol the same kind that’s in alcoholic drinks, enough to brew 400 trillion pints of beer.

This discovery blows open our understanding of the universe’s chemistry. Complex organic molecules like alcohol don’t just exist here on Earth they form naturally in the harshest corners of space. On tiny dust grains, simpler molecules combine and react, creating the building blocks that might one day give rise to life.

Using powerful radio telescopes, scientists have captured the unique “fingerprints” of these molecules, revealing a cosmic chemistry lab that’s been brewing for millions of years. The presence of alcohol and other organic compounds out there is a thrilling hint that the ingredients for life could be scattered all across the universe.