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Scientists have discovered a four-carbon sugar molecule in interstellar space for the first time, a finding that could provide new clues about the origins of life on Earth.
Researchers from Spain’s Centro de Astrobiología detected the sugar, erythrulose, in a giant molecular cloud near the centre of the Milky Way using radio telescopes in Spain. The study was published in Nature Astronomy.
The discovery marks the first detection of a monosaccharide in the interstellar medium—the vast space between stars. Scientists believe erythrulose could have been delivered to the early Earth by meteorites and cosmic dust billions of years ago, where it may have contributed to the formation of RNA-like molecules essential for the emergence of life.
The researchers say the finding suggests interstellar space may serve as a natural source of sugar molecules needed for prebiotic chemistry, raising the possibility that the building blocks of life could also exist elsewhere in the universe.
“The detection of erythrulose is very exciting because it opens up the possibility of discovering other sugars, such as ribose, which is part of RNA, and other important molecules for the origin of life,” said study co-author Carlos Briones.
