Erythrulose sugar detected 27,000 light-years from Earth

Researchers led by Emilio J. Cocinero from the University of the Basque Country and the Biofisika Institute have successfully detected erythrulose, a sugar molecule, in a cloud located approximately 27,000 light-years from Earth near the center of the Milky Way.

To identify the molecule, the team developed a method using ultrarapid laser vaporization to transition the sugar into a gas phase without destroying its chemical structure. This allowed them to establish a “molecular fingerprint” based on specific radiation frequencies. The detection was confirmed through twelve sets of signals and seventeen transitions that matched the expected patterns for erythrulose.

This discovery provides insight into the origins of life by suggesting that the chemical building blocks necessary for life may have formed in interstellar space before being incorporated into planets like Earth. The team's next objective is to identify other molecules, such as the sugars that constitute RNA and DNA, to further understand the cosmic journey of life's ingredients.