Sweet discovery: 'True sugar' molecule found near Milky Way's center

A groundbreaking discovery near the heart of our Milky Way galaxy has revealed the presence of a four-carbon sugar molecule, erythrulose, within a vast cloud of gas and dust. This finding, published in Nature Astronomy, offers compelling support for the theory that the building blocks of life may have originated in space and bolsters the possibility of life existing beyond Earth.

“

A true sugar molecule must have at least three carbon atoms forming the backbone.

An international research team, led by Dr. Izaskun Jiménez-Serra of the Spanish National Research Council, detected erythrulose in the molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027, located approximately 26,745 light-years from Earth. Erythrulose, a sugar commonly found in red berries and artificial tanning lotions, is significant because it is a "true sugar" with at least three carbon atoms, a complexity previously unobserved in such interstellar environments. While simpler sugar-like molecules have been detected before, this marks the first observation of a complex sugar in a star and planet-forming region.

“

This discovery is particularly noteworthy because erythrulose could have been the raw material for creating the nucleic acids that form the backbone of DNA and RNA.

Sugars are fundamental to life, serving as energy sources like glucose and structural components like cellulose. They are also crucial for genetic material, with deoxyribose and ribose forming the backbone of DNA and RNA. The presence of erythrulose in molecular clouds suggests that these essential organic compounds could have been delivered to early Earth via asteroids and comets, potentially seeding life billions of years ago. Researchers estimate that between 500,000 and 50 million tons of erythrulose could have been delivered to Earth.

“

If interstellar space can produce these molecules, then it means that life could be common in the universe.

This discovery is particularly exciting as it opens the door to finding even more complex sugars, such as ribose, the direct component of RNA and DNA, in interstellar space. "If interstellar space can produce these molecules, then it means that life could be common in the universe," stated Dr. Jiménez-Serra. The research team believes that the cold, dark conditions within molecular clouds, shielded by dust, are ideal for the formation and preservation of these vital molecules, suggesting that the ingredients for life are widespread throughout the galaxy.

“

Now we can say that the elements necessary for biochemistry are likely to be widespread throughout the galaxy.