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Interstellar Benzene Formation: Experiment Shows the Theory May Not Hold Up Introduction to the Study of Benzene Formation in Space Researchers at the University of Colorado's JILA, alongside the National Institute of Science and Technology, performed an experiment to verify the formation of benzene in interstellar conditions as predicted by theory. The experiment yielded no benzene. The research, let by G. S. Kocheril, C. Zagorec-Marks, and H. J. Lewandowski, is feature in Nature Astronomy . Theoretical Background: Ion-Molecule Collisions and Benzene Formation Theoretical studies in the 1990's proposed that ion-molecule collisions could serve as a primary mechanism for interstellar benzene formation. These theories are crucial in astrophysical research, as benzene is considered a precursor to poly-cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are believed to store cosmic carbon — a  key element in the origins of carbon-based life. Challenges in Experimentally Validating Benzene...