---
abstract: 'New sensitive CO(2-1) observations of the 30 Doradus region in the Large Magellanic Cloud are presented. We identify a chain of three newly discovered molecular clouds we name KN1, KN2 and KN3 lying within 2–14pc in projection from the young massive cluster R136 in 30 Doradus. Excited H$_2$2.12$\mu$m emission is spatially coincident with the molecular clouds, but ionized Br$\gamma$ emission is not. We interpret these observations as the tails of pillar-like structures whose ionized heads are pointing towards R136. Based on infrared photometry, we identify a new generation of stars forming within this structure.'
author:
- 'Venu M. Kalari'
- 'M[ó]{}nica Rubio'
- 'Bruce G. Elmegreen'
- 'Viviana V. Guzm[á]{}n'
- 'Cinthya N. Herrera'
- Hans Zinnecker
title: |
    Pillars of creation amongst destruction:\
    Star formation in molecular clouds near R136 in 30 Doradus 
---

Introduction {#sec:intro}
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30 Doradus is a giant H[II]{} region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The LMC is a local group dwarf galaxy that lies at a distance of 50kpc (Pietrzy[ń]{}ski et al. 2013), and has a mean stellar metallicity ($Z$) half of the Sun (Rolleston et al. 2002). 30 Doradus hosts the young massive cluster (YMC) R136. R136 is a $\sim$1.5-3Myr 