[Lightspeed]

Organic molecules found on dwarf planet Ceres

Near a large crater on Ceres' northern hemisphere, called the Ernutet crater, the space probe found a distinct molecular fingerprint in the light. It was the signature of a class of organic molecules that have methyl and methylene groups. These are basically chemical chunks of carbon and hydrogen atoms grouped together, such as CH3 and CH2. Dawn couldn't tell exactly which molecules were down on Ceres, but they're likely to be tar-like minerals such as kerite or asphaltite. In a word: organics.