We present the first interferometric molecular line and dust emission maps for the Galactic Center (GC) cloud G0.253 0.016, observed using CARMA and the SMA. This cloud is very dense, and concentrates a mass exceeding the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex (2 × 105 M &sun;) into a radius of only 3 pc, but it is essentially starless. G0.253 0.016 therefore violates "star formation laws" presently used to explain trends in galactic and extragalactic star formation by a factor ~45. Our observations show a lack of dense cores of significant mass and density, thus explaining the low star formation activity. Instead, cores with low densities and line widths ) into a radius of only 3 pc, but it is essentially starless. G0.253 0.016 therefore violates "star formation laws" presently used to explain trends in galactic and extragalactic star formation by a factor ~45. Our observations show a lack of dense cores of significant mass and density, thus explaining the low star formation activity. Instead, cores with low densities and line widths –1-probably the narrowest lines reported for the
