article_snippet: Experiments show that impact material is significantly darkened when impacts occur in the presence of complex organics - shown here on the right .
article_snippet: For this study, the team launched projectiles in the presence of sugar, a complex organic compound that mimics the organics in comet material.
article_snippet: The heat of an impact burns the sugar up, releasing carbon.
article_snippet: Experiments showed that tiny carbon particles become deeply embedded in the impact melted material.