More than a year after they reach Earth, asteroid Bennu samples begin to unravel mysteries about the origin of life. Two recent studies confirm the presence of essential minerals and amino acids, reinforcing the idea that the fundamental ingredients of life may have come from space.
Mission launched by NASA in 2016, came to 300 million kilometers from Earth. Collected about 120 grams of dust and rock fragments, Material known as regolite, which was transported to the earth in a hermetically sealed capsule.
At the end of a seven -year journey, the first and largest sample of asteroid collected in the space landing in the Utah desert.
Shortly after the arrival, a preliminary analysis confirmed the presence of“Crystals of water and carbon, two of the elements that are the origin of life”announced at the time the administrator of NASA Bill Nelson.
But now, more detailed studies reveal even more surprises.
1st Study: Extraterrestrial organic materials
A study published in led by scientists Daniel Glavin and Jason Dworkin, revealed that Bennu’s samples contain a diverse mixture of organic compounds. Scientists identified All five bases that make up DNA and Arn, as well as 14 of the 20 essential amino acids for life on earth.
Even more surprising was the discovery of rare or nonexistent amino acids on our planettogether with thousands of nitrogen -based compounds. For scientists, this validates the hypothesis that fundamental organic chemistry may have originated in space and has been transported to Earth by meteorites and asteroids.
This theory does not exclude the possibility that life has arisen in the primitive oceans of the earth, but suggests that space played a role in its formation.
2nd Study: Bennu’s origin and the role of water
O which brought together several international laboratories, focused on the origin of Bennu and the minerals found in the samples.
Investigators believe Bennu graduated less than 65 million years ago, from the remains of a much larger asteroid, whose history dates back to the early days of the Solar System, 4.5 billion years ago.
The analyzes show that the samples contain Mineral salts – inorganic compounds also essential to life – Never before observed in meteorites or asteroids studied on Earth. These compounds will have emerged from saltwater evaporation existing non -asteroid Bennu.
“We now know that the primordial ingredients for life have combined interesting and complex ways within Bennu’s parent,” Curator of the mineral collection of the National Museum of Natural History of the USA and the first author of the study, quoted by its institution.
NumProfessor Yasuhito Sekine, from the Tokyo Science Institute, stresses that this water may have facilitated chemical reactions capable of generating biological molecules,essential for the appearance of life.
The process would be similar to what happens in dried salty lakes on the land where salt crusts are formed – such as Lake Searles in California, whose minerals are identical to those identified in Bennu.
Swears and possible habitats for life in the solar system
The discovery of brine in Bennu reinforces the idea that similar environments may exist in other places in the solar system. It is known that moons like Eneland (from Saturn) and the planet Dwarf Ceres have salty reservoirs.
These are now considered priority places for future spatial missions, as they may be favorable to life, according to the study’s authors.
Scientists point out that the preservation of Bennu samples in nitrogen atmosphere was essential to maintain the integrity of volatile compounds. This allows for more accurate analysis and can pave the way for new discoveries about the origin of life, both on earth and other worlds.
