Astronomers have found erythrulose, a type of four-carbon sugar, inside a molecular cloud located near the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

天文學家在一個位於銀河系中心附近的分子雲中，發現了一種名為「赤藻糖醇」(erythrulose) 的四碳糖。

The researchers identified erythrulose by analyzing data from two radio telescopes in Spain, which focused on a specific cloud of gas and dust. This is the first time a 'true sugar'—which must have at least three carbon atoms—has been detected in interstellar space. While simpler molecules like glycoaldehyde had been found before, they were not complex enough to be called sugars, although they likely help create more complicated molecules.

研究人員透過分析西班牙兩座無線電望遠鏡的數據，鎖定了一團特定的氣體與塵埃雲，從而識別出赤藻糖醇。這是首次在星際空間中偵測到「真糖」——即必須含有至少三個碳原子的糖。雖然之前發現過如乙醇醛 (glycoaldehyde) 等較簡單的分子，但它們不夠複雜，不能被稱為糖，儘管它們可能有助於創造更複雜的分子。

Regarding how these sugars form, the scientists emphasize that erythrulose is created through chemical reactions on the surface of interstellar dust grains. In this process, smaller chemicals react on icy layers due to ultraviolet radiation or cosmic rays. This method allows molecules to form even though the vacuum of space makes collisions rare. Eventually, heat causes these molecules to evaporate and enter the surrounding space.

關於這些糖如何形成，科學家強調赤藻糖醇是透過星際塵埃顆粒表面的化學反應而產生。在此過程中，較小的化學物質會因紫外線或宇宙射線而在冰層上產生反應。儘管太空的真空環境使得碰撞十分罕見，但這種方法仍能讓分子形成。最終，熱量會導致這些分子蒸發並進入周圍空間。

Furthermore, experts suggest that the presence of these compounds shows that the building blocks of life are distributed throughout the universe. They believe these molecules may have reached early Earth through impacts from comets and asteroids. Consequently, this influx of organic material may have helped create RNA and other essential components, providing the chemical basis for the evolution of life.

此外，專家指出這些化合物的存在顯示生命的基本構建單元分佈於整個宇宙中。他們認為這些分子可能透過彗星和小行星的撞擊到達早期地球。因此，這些有機物質的湧入可能協助創造了 RNA 及其他核心成分，為生命的演化奠定了化學基礎。

The discovery of erythrulose suggests that the complex organic molecules necessary for life can form in space, independently of any planetary system.

赤藻糖醇的發現表明，生命所需的複雜有機分子可以在太空中形成，而不需要依賴任何行星系統。