Astronomers detected ‘raspberry sugar’ in Milky Way dust cloud; study reported it was the first sugar found in interstellar space

Astronomers have detected the sugar erythrulose in a massive dust cloud near the Milky Way's center, marking the first time sugar has been found in interstellar space. This discovery, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, suggests that sugars may be more common in the universe than previously thought.¹²³

Dr. Izaskun Jiménez-Serra from Spain’s Centre for Astrobiology stated, “This is the very first sugar to be detected in interstellar space and it is important because it tells us that these sugars are more common than we previously thought.” The sugar is believed to form through chemical reactions on tiny interstellar dust grains, which can then be delivered to planets via comets.⁴

The research indicates that millions of tonnes of erythrulose could have rained down on Earth during the Late Heavy Bombardment, a period when asteroids and comets bombarded the planet. Jiménez-Serra noted, “To have suffered this kind of rain of organics, I think that seems to have been a key step.” Prof. Yoshihiro Furukawa added, “Sugars formed in the interstellar medium can reach Earth and other planets via cometary dust… This supply may have helped facilitate the emergence of life.”⁵⁶

The findings open up possibilities for life to develop on other worlds, as Jiménez-Serra remarked, “The key ingredients for the origin of life could be present in other regions across the galaxy, opening the possibility for life to develop elsewhere in the universe.”