Sugar molecule discovered in interstellar space for the first time

A research team led by the Centro de Astrobiología, Spain, detected a sugar molecule called "erythrulose" in a molecular cloud near the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. According to the study published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the detection of this natural sugar, composed of four carbon atoms, in the interstellar medium was an unexpected development for the scientific world. The discovery shows that complex chemical structures can form in space even before stars and planets form.

Researchers have confirmed the existence of sugar molecules in the interstellar medium for the first time with this study. The findings support the assessment that erythrulose can form from simpler molecules on icy dust grains in space and evolve into more complex structures over time. This situation strengthens views on how sugar and sugar-related organic compounds might have contributed to the formation process of the Solar System.

One of the most important implications of the discovery is its potential to shed light on studies concerning the origin of life on Earth. Scientists state that this finding brings up the possibility that other sugars, such as ribose, which is also part of the RNA structure, could be found in the interstellar medium. According to the research team's calculations, it is possible that millions of tons of sugar were transported to Earth via asteroids and comets during the Late Heavy Bombardment Period.