Researchers have recently discovered the amino acid tryptophan in interstellar space.
About Tryptophan:
It is an amino acid needed for normal growth in infants and for the production and maintenance of the body's proteins, muscles, enzymes, and neurotransmitters.
It is an essential amino acid. This means your body cannot produce it, so you must get it from your diet.
Functions:
The body uses tryptophan to help make melatonin and serotonin.
Melatonin helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and serotonin is thought to help regulate appetite, sleep, mood, and pain.
The liver can also use tryptophan to produce niacin (vitamin B3), which is needed for energy metabolism and DNA production.
Tryptophan has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in treating symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder syndrome (such as mood swings and irritability), and to help people quit smoking.
Food Sources: Tryptophan can be found in
Cheese
Chicken
Egg whites
Fish
Milk
Sunflower seeds
Peanuts
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Soy beans
Turkey
What is IC 348?
It is a 2-million-year-old open star cluster surrounded by a reflection nebula of about 15 light-years across.
It is located 1028 light-years away from earth in the northern constellation of Perseus, while it is receding from earth at 14km per second.
It is embedded in the star-forming region called the Perseus molecular cloud.
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