Alcohol cloud spotted in deep space (ABC News Online)

Astronomers say they have spotted a cloud of alcohol in deep space that measures 463 billion kilometres across, a finding that could shed light on how giant stars are formed from primordial gas...

...That discovery opened up a new area of debate in astrophysics, challenging the conventional view that interstellar chemistry could not provide the conditions for creating complex molecules, as they would be ripped apart by ultraviolet radiation from stars and other tough conditions.

Around 130 organic molecules have also been identified so far in outer space, fuelling speculation that these complex molecules may have helped to sow the seeds for life on the fledgling Earth.

A nice big cloud of space-booze eh?

That should spur the Russian space program along...

Imagine how much you could charge for a bottle of Space Vodka!

How far away are these clouds? I wonder if unmanned, deep space travel could ever take advantage of them for potential fuel?

A large visual cloud of Alcohol almost certainly means that it is the waste product of microbiological life. Its difficult to imagine how (pure) alcohol can be produced in a hot Universe. I mean Alcohol dosn't exist naturaly. All alcohol is produced as a waste product. i.e Animals wee wee, or to be more accurate Yeasts wee wee, which we all drink.
The heating or collisions of alcohol molecules, and similar, each produce their own particular absorbtion or emission, that can be translated to a particular wavelength that is detected by Astronomers. Water/Ammonia are observed ar the frequency of 1.3 centimeters, Hydrogen is detected at 1,060 angstroms, the Hydroxyl radical emits radiation at 1,612 Megahertz.
So, Alcohol detected in space means primitive life.....meaning these observable clouds must go back a million light years in time.
Remember there are unobservable clouds, in areas too cold to emit any radiation. Much older parts of the Universe where the molecules and yeasts have had time to combined and interacted with each other hic, they would have had time to pduce an amazing allsortment of molecular precursors to life. what I am shaying ish, if cooler means older, they are the arias.....that will harbour a more advanshed primitive life, awash with alcomolecs. Jush poin me in the right irection I'll find them

!! LMAO .. on a side note, Vladimir says he is suited up and ready to go..

hmm, wonder when the Irish space program is going to start now..

Now we know where all the souls of lushes go when they die.