On 22 January 2015 whereas before the scientific data were hidden to the public, the magazine Science published it.
Organic matter
By means of the instrument VIRTIS, the research workers learnt that the nucleus of comet 67P is rich in organic matter. These organic molecules contain carbon–hydrogen bonds and oxygen–hydrogen bonds. This is a major discovery because the organic molecules are the "building blocks" of life. This confirmation is interesting because the comets and the asteroids are suspected to bring to Earth the molecules needed to live.
By the way VIRTIS measurations show that the firsts centimeters of the surface is dehydrated. As for the "neck" whick links the two lobes of comet 67P, it could contain a high amounts of ice.
Comet nucleus
The nucleus of the comet is formed by two lobes, connected by a "neck" in which the essential of the comet's activity is gathered (the comet's activity is materialised by its gas emissions and increase when a comet comes nearer to the Sun.)
Besides the density of the comet's nucleus has been measured: the nucleus is extremely porous. Finally the comet core is characterized by the geological structures very varied, resulting from erosion phenomena, collapse and re-deposition.
Core temperature
The nucleus temperature varies considerably according to the Sun exposure of the nucleus and according to the seasons. Furthermore it seems that this neck is a poor conductor of heat, it is probably due to its high porosity. As for the production of water by the nucleus (which varies during the rotation of the latter), it appears that such production is mainly located in the area of the "neck".
Comet's coma
The composition of the comet's coma fluctuates considerably in accordance with time. These fluctuations would be able to come from the variations of temperature which existed just under the comet.