Astronomers Detect First Sugar Molecule in Interstellar Space

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing CNN, astronomers have detected a monosaccharide in interstellar space for the first time, a finding that suggests key organic molecules linked to life may have formed naturally in space before stars and planets existed. A research team led by Spain's Center for Astrobiology found erythrulose in a gas and dust cloud called G+0.693−0.027 near the center of the Milky Way. Erythrulose is a four-carbon sugar found in small amounts in fruits such as raspberries and is also used in tanning products. Researchers said the discovery was made by capturing radio signals from the cloud with two large telescopes in Spain, and that one set of signals matched erythrulose exactly in laboratory tests. The team had originally been looking for a simpler three-carbon sugar, but found the more complex four-carbon molecule instead. The study has been published in the journal Nature Astronomy.