Sugar molecule discovered in deep space for the first time in the depths of the Milky Way

Scientists have detected a sugar molecule in the interstellar medium in a nebula near the center of the Milky Way galaxy for the first time. According to the research published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the discovered substance is a four-carbon sugar type called 'erythrulose', which is also found in raspberries on Earth. This discovery is of great importance as it proves that sugar can form in space as a result of chemical reactions without the presence of life.

For Astrobiology enthusiasts, this finding opens new doors to understanding the origin of life on Earth and how sugars emerged in the early periods of our planet. Scientists think that sugars may have reached Earth via asteroid and comet impacts. Furthermore, this discovery strengthens the possibility of life emerging elsewhere in the universe.

The team led by Izaskun Jiménez-Serra from the Centro de Astrobiología in Spain examined the radio frequencies emitted by molecules in space using two radio telescopes. Researchers are now preparing to search for more complex sugar types in space, which are the fundamental building blocks of RNA and DNA.