Tag: Glycolaldehyde

Carbohydrates are the most abundant organic molecules found in nature and serve as a primary energy source for living organisms. The smallest individual units of these molecules are called monosaccharides, which cannot be broken down further into simpler sugars. The simplest carbohydrates, featuring just three carbon atoms, are a pair of isomers known as glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone. However, depending on the precise chemical definition, even smaller forms like glycolaldehyde might be considered.

Did you know that simple sugar molecules called glycolaldehyde have been discovered in gas clouds around star-forming regions deep in space? The query "how much sugar is in a galaxy?" therefore has two very different—and equally fascinating—answers, depending on whether you're talking about the famous chocolate bar or the cosmic nebula.