Space exploration just got sweeter as scientists say they have discovered a type of sugar called erythrulose in outer space.
The discovery marks the first time true sugar has been spotted in outer space. Erythrulose is also found in raspberries and self-tanners.
Astronomers at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid, using Spain's Yebes 40-metre and IRAM 30-metre radio telescopes for deeper observations, spotted the specific fingerprint of wavelengths emitted by the molecule.
Scientists hope this discovery will help clarify how life started on Earth. Sugars help power our cells and are also a part of our DNA. The molecule found in a cluster of thin clouds of gas and dust between stars, called the interstellar medium, is a compound with four carbon atoms.
According to Nature.com, Brett McGuire, an astrochemist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, called it an incredible discovery, saying that "astronomers have, for a very long time, been pushing to detect sugar in space.”
With the role sugar plays in DNA and being a source of fuel to our cells, scientists theorise that it is essential to understanding the origin of life.
Another related theory proposed by science states that if this kind of sugar exists in molecular clouds in space, then they could have been transported by asteroids and comets, which have bombarded Earth about four billion years ago and could have brought sugar molecules to Earth. This theory, they say, is relevant to understanding the origins of life on Earth.
Researchers collected data from a large cloud of gas found close to the centre of the Milky Way. They were able to identify the sugar in this gas by comparing telescope signals to lab samples.
Although the form the sugar was discovered in is not essential to life, scientists think that it can easily convert to a form that could have helped to kickstart life on Earth.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defen...
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svet...
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister....
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defence, cybersecurity, trade and education.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
Pakistan is set to become a founding member of the China-led World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelling to Shanghai on Thursday to sign the founding agreement during a two-day visit.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
Pakistan is set to become a founding member of the China-led World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelling to Shanghai on Thursday to sign the founding agreement during a two-day visit.
Beijing is using Shanghai’s artificial intelligence (AI) forum to promote its governance agenda and showcase domestic alternatives to U.S. technology.
Australia will establish an Office of AI to coordinate artificial intelligence standards and oversee major data centres as the government prepares new laws on their energy and water use, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday (15 July).
IBM has warned that a surge in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure is weighing on its core business, in one of the clearest signs yet of how the AI boom is reshaping the technology sector.
TikTok moderates content in more than 70 languages, including Azerbaijani, using a combination of artificial intelligence and human reviewers, a company representative has said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment