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In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has returned samples from the asteroid Bennu that contain essential building blocks of life. Analyses revealed the presence of amino acids, which are vital for protein formation, and all five nucleobases-the components of DNA and RNA. Additionally, minerals such as calcite and halite were identified, indicating that Bennu's parent body once harbored liquid water. These findings support the theory that asteroids like Bennu may have delivered the raw materials necessary for life to early Earth, suggesting that the conditions for life's emergence were widespread in the early solar system.
Recent studies published in Nature and Nature Astronomy detail these significant findings from the Bennu samples. Scientists discovered 14 of the 20 amino acids used by life on Earth to make proteins, as well as all five nucleobases essential for the creation of DNA and RNA. The presence of ammonia and formaldehyde suggests that complex molecules could form under the right conditions. Evidence of ancient minerals indicates a history of saltwater on the asteroid, providing an environment conducive to the interactions necessary for life's chemistry. These discoveries enhance our understanding of the potential for life elsewhere in the universe and the role asteroids may have played in seeding life on Earth.
Tags: Asteroid Bennu, OSIRIS-REx mission, amino acids, nucleobases, building blocks of life, DNA, RNA, calcite, halite, liquid water, early Earth, origin of life, astrobiology, space exploration, NASA, organic compounds, extraterrestrial life, solar system, asteroid samples, planetary science, amino acids in space, nucleobases in space, asteroid mining, space missions, life on Earth.