Our research group specializes in studying the spectra, the chemistry, and the physical properties of ices relevant to comets, icy satellites and planets, and the coatings of dust grains in the interstellar medium. Although many cosmic ices are dominated by H₂O, they also contain "prebiotic" molecules such as CO, CO₂, CH₄, NH₃, and CH_3OH. In studying these molecules we are probing the early, ancient chemistry which eventually led to the origin of life.