The goal of our research group is to understand the chemical processes that govern the formation and dissociation of (prebiotic) hydrocarbons under extreme conditions, i.e. extreme temperatures (both low and high) and strong radiation fields. A particular focus is put on understanding the chemical evolution of (prebiotic) carbonaceous molecules in the interstellar medium, from the early stages of star formation, to our current day Solar System. A solid understanding of the chemical reactions and the spectroscopy of the reactive species in these regions facilitates the interpretation of the data from telescopes and space missions.