Could the sugar in our bodies have first come from space?
Astronomers have discovered the complex sugar erythrulose in a molecular cloud near the center of the Milky Way. This finding suggests that the chemical building blocks of life can form in space without the need for planetary environments.
Why it matters
It provides evidence that the essential ingredients for biological life may have been delivered to Earth via comets and asteroids, offering clues about the origins of life.
A: It is possible, though we don’t yet know for sure.
The article reports on scientific findings from peer-reviewed research without political or ideological framing.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in