Problem is, the scientists keep looking int the wrong places. They promise the "power of the stars". Ok, well astronomy has shown that stars are surrounded by clouds of fullerenes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullerene#cite_note-16 by IR spectroscopy. That would be far too complex of a molecule to be formed as a by-product of the fusion, but perhaps a precursor formed during the early formation of the star, under high pressure and magnetic density (think Jupiter)
If we go that route, what would be the easiest source of carbon for fullerenes?
Coal dust of course
