Cold Sugar in Space Provides Clue to the Molecular Origin of Life

National Radio Astronomy Observatory ^ | 20 September 2004 | Dave Finley

[PatrickHenry]

Lots of pics in the original article. Bold and underlining added by me. Thanks to b_sharp for suggesting this article.

[theDentist]

There go my sugar stocks! (sigh)

[PatrickHenry]

EvolutionPing

A pro-evolution science list with over 280 names. See the list's description at my freeper homepage. Then FReepmail to be added or dropped.

[Physicist]

The original Milky Way bar.

[GSlob]

Somewhere in that sugar cloud must be a big cosmic-size donut, with glaze. Pity it must be all stale by now.

[moroque11]

Krispy Kreme and the origins of life. I am convinced.

[Physicist]

[oh8eleven]

sweet

[hang 'em]

Now if they can just find a cloud of Splenda.

(So "Sheets" Byrd has a telescope named after him?)

[aShepard]

...."National Science Foundation's giant Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope".......

He gets his name on everything in West Virginia!

Wonder whether the telescope is shrouded in a white robe???

[Red Badger]

West By-Byrd Virginia.........When he dies, they're gonna rename the state, Byrdginia..........

[Red Badger]

now you know why..........

[PatrickHenry]

The whole universe is made of cotton candy!

[Getready]

If one detects a molecule in a warm section of a nebula, wouldn't it follow that it would be a cold section? I mean, if the molecule can survive high heat, it just about always can survive low temp. (It's reactivity would be very low, I guess). Did they find any 3 carbon sugars in the nebula? That would be interesting to find out why and why not? Would a 2 carbon sugar react with another 2 carbon sugar to form a 4 carbon sugar/? Do 3 carbon sugars react with 2 carbons at 8 degrees Kelvin?

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[VadeRetro]

The astronomers detected the 8-atom sugar molecule glycolaldehyde in a gas-and-dust cloud called Sagittarius B2.

I thought the Second Law of Thermodynamic (creationist flavor) prohibits anything complicated from forming without explicit instructions from some intelligence.

[PatrickHenry]

I thought the Second Law of Thermodynamic (creationist flavor) prohibits anything complicated from forming without explicit instructions from some intelligence.

You're thinking of this: Jack Chick's Big SUGAR Daddy

[DBrow]

They've found alcohols, traces of amino acids, buckyballs, and now sugars.

Quite a soup out there, albeit quite thin. What an intersting place God made for us to learn in!

[RightWingAtheist]

Did they find any galactose? (ducks)

[velocityguy]

Man, everyday I learn something new here at FR. Its awesome!