Astronomers Have Found a Sugar Molecule in Deep Space for the First Time Ever
3 hours ago
- #Astronomy
- #Organic Chemistry
- #Astrobiology
- Astronomers detected erythrulose, a four-carbon sugar molecule, in interstellar space for the first time.
- The molecule was found in molecular cloud G+0.693−0.027 near the Milky Way's center, a region rich in complex organic molecules.
- Sugars like erythrulose are essential for life, fueling cells and forming part of RNA and DNA, but their origin on early Earth is unclear.
- The discovery supports the idea that some sugars may have originated in space and reached Earth via meteorites, similar to ribose found on asteroid Bennu.
- Data from radio telescopes in Spain enabled the identification, marking a major advance in understanding prebiotic chemistry in space, though it does not prove extraterrestrial life.