Researchers in Spain have discovered sugar molecules through spectroscopy, which measures different wavelengths of light.
The sugar they discovered is called erythrulose and is found in, among other things, raspberries and, somewhat unexpectedly, in self-tanning cream.
It’s not the first time scientists have discovered sugar molecules in space, but when they’re found in gas clouds near the centre of the Milky Way, where stars and planets can form, it becomes interesting, according to the researchers. It suggests that the sugar is formed spontaneously in the gas cloud.
According to scientists, erythrulose is one of the largest sugar molecules discovered to date. In addition to providing energy to various life forms, sugar is an important component of the building blocks of life, RNA and DNA.
It may have come to Earth through a meteorite or comet that hit Earth and be a clue to where the building blocks of life come from, Rebecca Allen at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, who was not involved in the study, told NBC.
The study has been published in the journal Nature Astronomy and the researchers write that even though the newly discovered form of sugar is not crucial for life, it may have played a role in starting life on Earth.
