Astronomers have detected erythrulose, a type of sugar also found in raspberries, in deep space. This discovery marks the first time a sugar molecule has been detected in interstellar space.
The sugar was found in an enormous cloud of dust and gas located near the heart of the Milky Way. In addition to its presence in raspberries, erythrulose is a compound used in fake tan lotions.
This finding demonstrates that compounds key to life can form in the frigid expanse between the stars. The discovery provides tantalizing new clues into how life may have first emerged on Earth.