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NASA asteroid sample reveals water and organic compounds, offering clues to life's origins

  • NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully retrieved a sample from the asteroid Bennu and returned it to Earth in September 2022.
  • Initial analysis shows the sample contains water, carbon, and other organic molecules, which are key ingredients for life.
  • The sample provides insights into how asteroids may have seeded Earth with the building blocks for life billions of years ago.
  • Further study of the sample over the next two years will help unravel the mysteries of how our solar system evolved.
  • Portions of the sample will be loaned out to scientists worldwide and institutions for continued research and public display.
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