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3mo ago

Asteroid Bennu Samples Reveal Key Ingredients for Life

NASA’s analysis of pristine asteroid material uncovers amino acids, nucleobases, and evidence of ancient saltwater, hinting at widespread conditions for life in the early solar system.

Image
Microscope image showing crystals of hydrated sodium carbonate (purple highlights) in a sample of material from asteroid Bennu
The asteroid 101955 Bennu appears in this mosaic of images captured by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona
Technicians carrying the precious sample of asteroid Bennu. The sample was headed for a newly constructed clean room at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Image via NASA.

Overview

  • NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission returned samples from asteroid Bennu in 2023, which were stored uncontaminated for detailed study.
  • Scientists found 14 amino acids and all five nucleobases essential for DNA and RNA, marking a significant discovery of life's building blocks in space.
  • Bennu's samples also contain evidence of ancient saltwater brines, suggesting conditions that could have supported chemical interactions leading to life.
  • The asteroid is believed to have originated from a larger parent body in the outer solar system, which retained warmth due to radioactive elements billions of years ago.
  • These findings suggest that the early solar system had widespread conditions conducive to forming life's precursors, with implications for potential habitability on other celestial bodies like Europa and Enceladus.