Astronomers have for the first time observed a natural sugar, found in red raspberries on Earth, inside interstellar clouds of dust and gas near the center of the Milky Way galaxy, in a discovery that boosts the possibility of finding essential compounds for life beyond Earth.

The discovery shows that compounds necessary for the origin of life can form in the vast emptiness between stars before planets and stars are born, opening the door to finding other molecules linked to life's origins.

A team of astronomers at the Spanish Center for Astrobiology led the observation of the sugar known as erythrulose, a compound composed of four carbon atoms. Sugars are fundamental elements in living systems, providing energy, contributing to the construction of biological structures, and participating in the formation of genetic materials such as RNA and DNA.

Chemical fingerprint at the galaxy's heart

The researchers used two radio telescopes—one at the Yebes Observatory north of Madrid and the other at the Institute for Radio Astronomy in the Millimeter Range (IRAM) in southern Spain—to study a molecular cloud designated G+0.693−0.027 near the center of the Milky Way.

Scientists identified the presence of erythrulose by comparing its molecular fingerprint in radio wave data with the wavelength pattern of the compound measured in the laboratory.

Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, an astronomer at the Spanish Center for Astrobiology, said the discovery was "unexpected," explaining that prevailing theories in astrochemistry assume that interstellar molecules grow gradually by adding carbon atoms one by one.

She added that the discovery proves that "relatively complex sugars can indeed form in interstellar space before stars and planets are born."

More than 340 molecules, but no sugars before this discovery

The study explained that erythrulose could form from simpler molecules on icy dust grains in space before entering into the formation of more complex chemical systems.

Although scientists have detected more than 340 molecules in interstellar space within the Milky Way, sugars were not among them until this discovery.

Mark Sephton, professor of Earth science and engineering at Imperial College London, said finding sugars in interstellar space reinforces the idea that the solar system may have formed while carrying pre-existing organic compounds.

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Ingredients of life

Scientists have long searched for how the first sugars formed on Earth, as laboratory experiments have shown the difficulty of forming them under the harsh conditions believed to have prevailed during the planet's early history.

The discovery of sugars such as ribose and glucose in primitive meteorites, along with samples collected from the asteroid Bennu in 2020, supported the hypothesis that some organic compounds may have come from space.

Scientists believe that these sugars may have been incorporated into asteroids during their formation and then reached Earth via meteorites and comets.

Yoshihiro Furukawa, professor of Earth sciences at Tohoku University in Japan, said the discovery is "extremely exciting," adding: "We have been waiting for such a direct observation."

Sugar on Earth 4 billion years ago

Researchers estimated that between 500,000 and 50 million metric tons of this sugar may have reached Earth's surface during the "Late Heavy Bombardment" about 4 billion years ago, when the inner solar system planets experienced intense asteroid impacts, although scientific debate continues about whether this phase occurred.

Erythrulose is found in small amounts in red berries and some fruits, and is also used in the manufacture of self-tanning lotions and bronzing products due to its reaction with the outer layer of skin.

Carlos Briones, a researcher in molecular evolution and a co-author of the study, said the discovery of erythrulose "opens the possibility of finding other sugars in space, such as ribose, as well as molecules important for the origin of life."

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