ScienceJuly 14, 2026
aldehyde
/ˈæl.də.haɪd/
Definition
An organic chemical compound containing a specific functional group that acts as a fundamental building block for forming more complex sugars in space.
Etymology
The word was coined in the mid-19th century as a contraction of the Latin 'alcohol dehydrogenatus', meaning 'alcohol from which hydrogen has been removed'.
In the news
The article explains that complex sugars like erythrulose can form in interstellar space through the chemical merging of alcohols and aldehydes. Identifying these precursors helps scientists understand how the building blocks of life might have been delivered to early Earth.
Sweet! Scientists find raspberry sugar in interstellar space for the first time – and it could tell us how life arose on Earth
Read the full article ↗BBC Sky at Night Magazine