Astronomers Discover Type of Sugar in Space Linked to Life’s Origins

Astronomers have made a fascinating discovery. They identified a type of sugar, erythrulose, in space—similar to what is found in raspberries and self-tanners. This sugar resides in the interstellar medium, which consists of thin clouds of gas and dust between stars.

Sugar’s role extends beyond sweetening food. Different types help fuel cells and are parts of DNA. Understanding how sugars form is crucial as they are essential ingredients for life. Researchers used two radio telescopes in Spain to collect data from a large gas cloud near the Milky Way’s center. By comparing telescope signals to lab samples, they identified the sugar in its gas form.

This discovery is detailed in the journal Nature Astronomy. Over time, scientists have uncovered intriguing chemistry in the galaxy, finding genetic material building blocks and cell components. About 25 years ago, they found a sugar relative near the Milky Way’s center, and asteroid Bennu samples returned by NASA contained other life-related sugars.

The newfound sugar, though not critical for life, can convert into a form vital for jump-starting life on Earth. Astrophysicist Erika Hamden from the University of Arizona noted that it is one of the most complex sugars observed in space.

These discoveries prompt scientists to consider the origins of life. Did comets or space rocks deliver crucial life ingredients, or were they already present to form our solar system? The detected sugar supports the latter idea. Researchers aim to find more sugars in space to understand their transformations. Study author Izaskun Jiménez-Serra suggests that life could emerge elsewhere in the universe.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department is funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Department and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP remains responsible for its content.