In 2023 , NASA ’s OSIRIS - REx brought back to Earth 121 gram of cloth from asteroid Bennu . This is the largest sample ever hoard and bring back from a macrocosm beyond the Moon . Early analysis last twelvemonth evoke that this asteroid arise in awater - rich humankind . new put out findings expand that further , suggesting that the condition for the formation of biography might have been more vulgar than antecedently think in the early Solar System .
As described in two new paper , scientists work on the sample found thousands of different constitutive compound . They report the discovery of 14 out of the 20 amino acid that make proteins in all living organisms on Earth . They also found 19 amino acids that do not make any protein , some of which were known and rare and some even absent in known biological science . They also discover all five nucleobases . The four detect in DNA – A , guanine , C , T – as well as uracil which takes the place of thymine in RNA .
The team was speedy to clarify what this does – and does not – intend for lifespan in the creation , however . “ Bennu contain many precursor to the building blocks of aliveness . The findings do not show any grounds for living on Bennu but it shows that the conditions for animation were widespread in the former Solar System , ” Nicky Fox , associate administrator , Science Mission Directorate from NASA Headquarters , suppose in a crush conference .
This figure illustrates key molecules and minerals discovered in samples of near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, which were delivered to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission in September 2023.Image Credit: NASA
The team also hear more compounds rich in nitrogen and ammonia . Ammonia in picky suggests that the parent body of Bennu was likely further aside from the Sun than the asteroid it is now . Bennu is a good - ground object ( and actuallythe one most likelyto hit Earth ) but it must have form in the cold region of the Solar System where ammonia Methedrine and other volatile were stable .
“ We can trust these results . The really high concentration of ammonia water was surprising , this is much higher than what wasfound on Ryuguand in meteorites , ” said Danny Glavin , senior scientist for sample return at NASA ’s Goddard Space Flight Center and lead source on the Modern Nature Astronomy newspaper publisher . “ The 2d surprise , is we look at the chirality of the amino group acids . ”
Molecules can form in mirror images . Just like your leftover hand and right paw are mirror mental image of each other so sure molecules , like amino acids , can come inleft - deal forms and correct - mitt forms .
“ All life-time on Earth is base on the left - handed bod , ” Glavin continued . “ Many meteorite have more than the left-hand - handed form but we find an adequate mix of the leftover - handed and decent - handed forms on Bennu . ”
These findings gainsay the theory that the early Solar System had a bias toward the left - handed edition of amino acids . The understanding for this fundamental difference rest a mystery .
Minerals never see before in meteorites – where we usually learn about the composition of the early Solar System – were seen in the Bennu sample . Being able to analyse this precious sample is change what we love about our slight corner of the universe .
“ There were things in the samples that altogether blew us out . The richness of the molecules and minerals preserved are unlike any extraterrestrial sampling studied before . Comparing the sample income tax return to meteorite in our Collection , using state - of - the - art analytic facilities here in the Museum , is invaluable in helping us understand our origins , ” said Prof. Sara Russell , cosmic mineralogist at the Natural History Museum , London and co - lead author of the paper published in Nature , in a statement sent to IFLScience .
Bennu is a carbonaceous asteroid , the most common type in the Solar System . It mold from the slice of a water - rich parent body , whose fate is unnamed . Bennu is robust in saltwater , Strategic Arms Limitation Talks - saturated water where many intriguing chemical substance reactions might have taken plaza . Between the organic particle and the piquant H2O - rich environment , Bennu had all the conditions that made it suitable for life .
“ The parent eubstance of Bennu was crammed full with these bio - substantive elements , such as phosphorus , ” Prof. Russell allege in the press conference .
“ It ’s interesting that although Bennu had everything needed for lifetime – it did not shape . The complex and delicate conditions want to catalyze life-time really get into focus the teemingness of biodiversity here on Earth . "
On the importance of studying early Solar System samples like this , co - lead generator Tim McCoy , curator of meteorites at the Smithsonian Museum , Washington explained : “ This extraordinary work , done at the scale of micron , will facilitate us understand what happens at the shell of planets . ”
The papers are published in the journalsNature AstronomyandNature .
