The interstellar medium, the vast space between stars, is a cosmic laboratory with a complex chemistry. It consists of gas and dust, mainly concentrated in clouds and nebulae exposed to cosmic radiation. Here, molecules, atoms, ions, electrons, and photons interact, forming new molecules, from simple diatomic compounds to more complex organic compounds. In her project, physicist Elisabeth Gruber recreates these extreme conditions in the lab using helium nanodroplets - tiny, ultracold clusters of helium atoms. Within them, atoms and molecules are trapped and cooled, enabling controlled interactions and the formation of larger systems. She applies and develops advanced experimental techniques to study these molecules and their reaction pathways. By mimicking space chemistry at the molecular level, this project will identify molecular ions and reveal their reaction pathways, offering insights into the chemical complexity of our universe.