Sugar Molecule?

[R. Richard]

Sugar molecule hell, call me when they find a chocolate molecule!

A sugar molecule linked to the origin of life was discovered in a potentially habitable region of our galaxy.

The molecule, called glycolaldehyde, was spotted in a large star-forming area of space around 26,000 light-years from Earth in the less-chaotic outer regions of the Milky Way. This suggests the sugar could be common across the universe, which is good news for extraterrestrial-life seekers.

"This is an important discovery as it is the first time glycolaldehyde, a basic sugar, has been detected towards a star-forming region where planets that could potentially harbor life may exist," Serena Viti of University College London said in a press release.

Previously, glycolaldehyde had only been observed toward the center of the galaxy, where conditions are thought to be too extreme to host habitable planets.

Glycolaldehyde is a key ingredient for life. It helps to build Ribonucleic acid (RNA), which is thought to be the central molecule involved in the origin of life on Earth. Glycolaldehyde is a monosaccharide sugar, the basic unit of carbohydrates. It can react with the chemical propenal to form ribose, the building block of RNA.

"The discovery of an organic sugar molecule in a star forming region of space is very exciting and will provide incredibly useful information in our search for alien life,” said Keith Mason, chief executive of the England’s Science and Technology Facilities Council.

The finding, made with the IRAM radio telescope in France, was announced Tuesday and will be published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

 

[jomar]

I didn't realize the telescopes were that good.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I didn't realize the telescopes were that good.

Now if only they can locate a beer molecule . . .

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I didn't realize the telescopes were that good.

They find them spectroscopically, by seeing what wavelengths of light are absorbed. Organic compounds absorb in the infrared portion of the spectrum. I don't know how they detected that using a radio telescope.

You're right. I don't know how they found a few molecules of glycoaldehyde millions of light years away in any case. Must have used computers to subtract all the noise from the spectrum or something?

Or a giant tongue?

 

[jomar]

...

Or a giant tongue?

Nice save!

But if the tongue isn't available they have to resort - and I think molecules can be detected by the radio emissions they give off. I took astronomy in the day, but skipped that classs so I'd have to google for more.

 

[TE999]

A sugar molecule...big whoop...after all, it was found in the Milky Way.

There's prolly a nougat molecule with it.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

"A" sugar molecule. What's one sugar molecule going to do...you can't even make a good caramel with one sugar molecule...you need at least five.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Sugar is the building block of everything!? See, I knew carbs weren't evil!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm not sold on the idea that a sugar crystal is the building block of organic chemistry. The seminal crystal necessarily has to be one that duplicates as readily as...say...iron oxide or clay. Sugar is pretty passive when it comes to self-replication.

 

[Safe_Bet]

The finding, made with the IRAM radio telescope in France, was announced Tuesday and will be published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

I didn't realize the telescopes were that good.

It was a French Telescope. They have surrendered to every other molecule and this was the only one left!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

It was a French Telescope. They have surrendered to every other molecule and this was the only one left!

*snerk*