For decades, scientists searching for life beyond Earth have focused on one central challenge: identifying the right molecules to look for on distant planets and moons. But new research published in Nature Astronomy suggests the answer may lie not in the molecules themselves, but in the hidden patterns that connect them. "We're showing that life does not only produce molecules," said Fabian Klenner, UC Riverside assistant professor of planetary sciences and co-author of the study. "Life also produces an organizational principle that we can see by applying statistics." Hidden Chemical Patterns May Reveal Life The researchers discovered that amino acids found in living systems tend to be both more varied and more evenly distributed than amino acids formed through nonbiological processes. Fatty acids showed the opposite trend, with nonliving chemical processes producing more even distributions than biological ones.…