Towson University鈥檚 Miguel Angel Requena-Torres, professor in the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences (PAGS), is part of an international team of researchers behind a ground-breaking discovery: the first detection of a true sugar molecule in the interstellar medium (the gas and dust between stars).

The team identified erythrulose, a four-carbon sugar, within a giant molecular cloud near the center of the Milky Way. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, mark the first time a sugar molecule has been directly detected in interstellar space.

Sugars are among the essential building blocks of life, serving critical roles in biological processes and the formation of genetic material. Scientists believe the discovery could help answer one of humanity鈥檚 biggest questions: How did the ingredients necessary for life first emerge on Earth? The research suggests that complex organic molecules may form in space and later be delivered to planets by comets and meteorites.

The discovery has attracted international attention, including coverage by and , highlighting its significance for astronomy, astrobiology and the understanding of life鈥檚 cosmic origins.