Molecular richness in protostars: a paradise forastrochemists

Protostars are subject to numerous dynamical events that shape the physics and chemistry of the subsequent evolutionary stages leading to a star and planetary system like our own. Accretion streamers, violent ejections of material in the form of jets and outflows, dynamic interactions with neighbouring protostars, ... All of these and other physical ingredients leave characteristic molecular imprints on the gas and dust surrounding the newly-formed protostellar objects. As such, molecules in protostars are powerful tools to investigate not only the chemistry but also the physics associated with this crucial evolutionary phase of star formation. From an observational point of view, the past few years have witnessed huge steps forward in this area, unveiling the chemical richness and diversity found among different protostars with unprecedented sensitivity and spatial resolution. This is undoubtedly thanks to the development of sensitive spectroscopic instrumentation, both ground- and space-based, spanning wavelengths from the infrared to centimetre regimes. Despite these exciting observational advances, having a complete explanation of why the molecules we see in protostars are there (or not there) currently remains an unsolved puzzle and requires an interdisciplinary effort in which astronomers and chemists inevitably need to work hand in hand. New observational and theoretical challenges have been revealed in the field which make us look to the future with hopeful eyes. I will summarise what we have learnt, in the past decade or so, about the molecular richness of solar-mass protostellar sources, and suggest a few guidelines to stimulate progress in the field