Chemistry
The Chemistry of Carbohydrate Metabolism: From Glucose to Pyruvate in Glycolysis
Quick fact
Glycolysis is so ancient and essential that it operates in nearly all living cells, from bacteria to humans, without requiring oxygen. It can produce ATP in the absence of oxygen, which is why it supports muscle bursts and even organisms living in oxygen-free environments.
Why this is interesting
You know that eating sugar gives you energy, but have you ever wondered what actually happens to that sugar molecule inside your cells? The first step of its journey—glycolysis—is a sequence of ten chemical reactions that turn a six-carbon sugar into two three-carbon molecules, all while capturing some of that energy for your body to use.