Comet cliffhanger: Probe 'sniffs' out life molecules before shutdown

The European Space Agency’s comet probe Philae detects organic molecules, basis of life on Earth, just before its battery runs out of juice.

In what is perhaps the most exciting and frustrating bit of news to come from outer space, scientists working on the comet-chasing Rosetta project say that its Philae probe has managed to “sniff” organic molecules containing carbon – the element that is the basis of life on Earth – before its primary battery ran cold.