Chemical signatures of a sugar called erythrulose have been detected near the centre of the Milky Way.
(Photo supplied: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Susan Stolovy (SSC/Caltech) et al.)
The astronomers used data from the Yebes 40m (pictured) and IRAM 30-metre radio telescopes. (Wikimedia: Yebesoan)
(Photo: Wikimedia - Yebesoan)
Erythrulose is a sugar that contains four carbon atoms, four oxygen atoms, and eight hydrogen atoms.
(Photo supplied: Jiménez-Serra et al. Nature Astronomy)
Signs of sugar detected near centre of the Milky Way
Astronomers have detected signs of a type of sugar in gas clouds near the centre of our galaxy, the Milky Way.
Sugars provide energy and are key building blocks of life on Earth, such as DNA, but how they got here is a mystery.
It is not uncommon to find sugar in the cosmos — simple sugars such as ribose and glucose have been previously discovered on asteroids in our Solar System.
But this is the first time sugar molecules have been found beyond our Solar System in the interstellar medium, astronomers report in Nature Astronomy.
They found the chemical fingerprint of erythrulose (C4H8O4), which contains four carbon molecules, and is a type of sugar known as a ketose.
On Earth, it is found in raspberries and is used as an ingredient in self-tanning lotions.
The study's lead author, Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, of the Center for Astrobiology CSIC-INTA in Spain, said the detection of erythrulose suggests these compounds may be more universal than originally thought.
"The detection of the first sugar in interstellar space suggests that the key ingredients for life can form in molecular nebula before stars and planets form," Dr Jiménez-Serra said.
The astronomers say the discovery provides clues about how sugars may have formed in the universe and became building blocks of life on Earth.
By Genelle Weule
ABC News - 14 July 2026
Astronomers have detected signs of a type of sugar found in raspberries in gas clouds near the centre of our galaxy the Milky Way.
I'm gonna say it, I do think that even the laziest person imaginable should have a roof over their head, food in their stomach, and access to healthcare
I miss when ads were a single click and then they’re gone. Now every ad has a minimum of three phases where you watch a video, exit the still frame of fake gameplay, and then exit the app download. That doesn’t even touch on the ones that forcibly take you to another app after opening a tab in safari without you ever touching the screen.
I hate advertising. I hate that you can’t do anything without companies jumping down your throat with mostly bullshit ads. I hate that billboards exist. I hate that every company unanimously decided to make their ads longer and longer. I hate that ad blockers try to charge you money and there are in app purchases to remove ads. I hate that my attention has become commodified. I hate that there’s nothing I can do about it.
yall would rather believe apps like wayfair r trafficking children and women through dresser listings instead of paying attention to sex tourism or capitalism incentivizing the wealthy to exploit women in lower social classes, i get conspiracy can be “fun” but i promise u most of the sexual abuse and trafficking happening in the world is directly from ppl with power buying their way out of consequences and not people selling overly priced bed frames, saying this as a trafficking victim u look stupid as fuck parroting that stuff
all the rights that come with marriage you should be able to have without marriage btw. you should be able to designate a person who can visit you in the hospital regardless of your relationship to that person.
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