Analysis of asteroid Bennu samples has revealed the presence of fundamental chemical building blocks essential for life as we know it, with the findings published in Nature (1) and Nature Astronomy (2).
These samples, collected through NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration‘s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-Rex) mission and returned to Earth in 2023, contain approximately 120g of pristine asteroid material. This samples have proven to be an extraordinary treasure trove of organic compounds, including 14 of the 20 amino acids that life on Earth uses to build proteins – and all four nucleobases essential for DNA formation.
Advanced analysis using scanning electron microscopes has uncovered a rich array of nitrogen and carbon-rich compounds within the sample. The presence of minerals and salts suggests historical water activity on the asteroid, while the detection of ammonia provides insights into potential biochemical processes.
These discoveries lend credence to the hypothesis that asteroids may have served as cosmic delivery vehicles, bringing essential life-building compounds to Earth and other planets billions of years ago. The preservation of these complex organic molecules in Bennu’s material offers a unique window into the chemical inventory available during our solar system’s formation.
The OSIRIS-REx mission’s success in returning these samples represents humanity’s growing capability to explore and understand our cosmic neighborhood. After billions of years of evolution, we’ve developed the technology to not only reach these ancient space rocks but to bring pieces of them back to Earth for detailed study.
By bringing pristine asteroid material back to Earth, scientists can conduct analyses impossible with remote sensing alone, potentially unlocking secrets about life’s origins. As we continue our quest to understand life, the universe, and everything (3), sample return missions from other planets and asteroids may hold the key to answering humanity’s most fundamental questions.
Image Credit: NASA Johnson Space Center / Erika Blumenfeld and Joseph Aebersold – Dark rocks and dust collected from the asteroid Bennu
Building Blocks of Life Found in NASA’s Asteroid Bennu Sample
