There may be an ample amount of ribose in the harsh confines of outer space.
An international team of researchers conducted an experiment to learn if ribose, a component of ribonucleic acid (RNA), could easily be made in space, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The scientists wanted to know if it was possible for ribose to have arrived on earth through comets and asteroids. Prior research indicated essential molecules like amino acids and nucleobases could form from cometary ices and space radiation, but it was unknown if ribose could form under similar circumstances.
First, the researchers started their experiment by focusing, “on the conditions of interstellar space vaguely near a star system, where there might be some methane, ammonia, and water floating around,” according to Popular Science.
All three molecules were then exposed to a blend of galactic phenomenon like ultraviolet radiation, low pressure, and glacial temperatures. The end result yielded a slew of complex molecules like ribose, a component of alcohol called glycerol, and the sweetener sorbitol.
Ribose is the more notable discovery since it’s one of the crucial macromolecules needed for life on Earth, but Popular Science notes the chemical still needs to interact with other molecules in the right environment to form life.
The study was published in the journal Science.
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