252
Researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa took a big step in understanding the origin of life by discovering in space a key molecule for the metabolism of living organisms, writes Success in UA.
This significant breakthrough was achieved by synthesizing the molecule at low temperatures on ice-coated nanoparticles that mimic conditions in deep space.
The research was conducted by a team from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in collaboration with scientists from the University of Mississippi. Their work included experiments with interstellar ice models, where glyceric acid was synthesized using substitutes for energetic cosmic rays, reports uainfo.org.
Glyceric acid is the simplest sugar acid necessary for the process of glycolysis, which breaks down food into energy. The discovery of this molecule in space confirms the possibility of its synthesis in molecular clouds and star-forming regions before it could reach Earth via comets or meteorites.
"Understanding how these molecules are formed in space is crucial to solving the mysteries of the origin of life," noted Professor Ralph I. Kaiser.
He also emphasized the importance of experiments and computations in science, which enable the acquisition of new knowledge and progress in understanding the chemistry of life both on Earth and in space.
