© 2026 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Astronomers find sugar floating in space

Astronomers discover first ‘true sugar’ molecule floating in space, a tantalizing new clue in the search for life’s origins.

Erythrulose, the sugar found in raspberries, is the first complex sugar ever spotted beyond our solar system. The discovery may provide clues to the origins of life.

Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd speaks with Massachusetts Institute of Technology chemistry professor Brett McGuire.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.