Scientists have discovered naturally occurring sugar drifting in the heart of the Milky Way. The finding offers critical new insight into the origins of life on Earth.
A team led by Izaskun Jiménez-Serra at Spain's Center for Astrobiology identified erythrulose sugar in the interstellar medium. This vast expanse of dust and gas fills space between star systems.
The sugar was detected in the galactic center, approximately 26,700 light years from Earth. Scientists used powerful telescopes to observe molecular frequencies in the interstellar medium. They compared these to laboratory samples to confirm the discovery.
"It was this very beautiful match," Jiménez-Serra told the New York Times. "My heart started beating very, very fast."
Assistant Professor Brett McGuire at MIT praised the team's rigorous analysis. He said their work "supports their conclusion that the molecule is there."
The study confirms sugar can form in harsh interstellar conditions. This happens without life and before stars or planets emerge. Researchers suggest other life-building molecules may exist in outer space.