Astronomers Discover Surprising Delicious Molecule in Space

WHO:

Futurism - Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, study lead author, astrochemist at Spain’s Centre for Astrobiology.

WHAT:

Futurism - Astronomers detected traces of erythrulose, a sugar found in fruits like raspberries and kiwis, in a giant gas cloud.

Futurism - This is the first time sugar has been detected in interstellar space.

Futurism - The researchers estimated that up to 50 million tons of erythrulose could have rained down on Earth during its primordial age.

WHERE:

Futurism - The detection occurred in a molecular cloud near the center of the Milky Way.

WHY:

Futurism - The discovery suggests that sugars are more common in space than previously thought, opening possibilities for life to develop on other worlds similarly to Earth.

HOW:

Futurism - Researchers used two radio telescopes in Spain to focus on the molecular cloud.

Futurism - A recent method was developed to recreate sugar’s light signature in space when vaporized with a laser, allowing for a more focused search.

(UPDATED July 18, 2026 19:21 UTC)

Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting traces of erythrulose, a sugar found in fruits like raspberries and kiwis, in a giant gas cloud near the center of the Milky Way. This marks the first time sugar has been identified in interstellar space, with researchers estimating that up to 50 million tons of erythrulose could have rained down on Earth during its primordial age. The findings suggest that sugars may be more common in space than previously thought, potentially opening up new possibilities for life to develop on other worlds in a manner similar to Earth.