Planetary scientists have long believed that the organic macromolecules that make the Earth suitable for life come from chondrites. But until now, the question has been how these chondrites -aggregated pebbles mainly known as meteorites- acquired the macromolecules. An international team of researchers from, among others, the University of Bern and TU Delft has found an explanation for this using observation-based computer models. Macromolecules can form quickly in disks of gas and dust around young stars. They are publishing their findings today in Nature Astronomy.