Washington, Nov 16 : A new study has discovered a "sweet spot" around a few young stars, which is cranking out the production of methanol, a chemical that could support life's chemistry.

Methanol is believed to be key for the more complex chemical reactions needed for life.

The research has implications for understanding which stars may be more suited for life-bearing planets.

"Methanol is the most complex molecule you can form at the really low temperatures in interstellar space," astronomer Douglas Whittet, with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, told Discovery News.

"When you put methanol into a newly forming star system, you have some heat from a proto-sun and that's when methanol really takes off. It's the springboard for more exciting chemistry that follows," he stated

In other words, find the methanol and scientists believe you find the chemical pathways to life.

What seems to be key is how fast molecules can reach dust grains, which serve as a scaffolding of sorts for chemical reactions.

"The rate of molecule accumulation on the particles can result in an organic boom or a literal dead end," Whittet said.

Not all young stars are suited for organic chemistry. Whittet''s team found a range of methanol concentrations in clouds from practically zero to about 30 percent.

The research will be published this weekend in The Astrophysical Journal. (ANI)