Scientists who analyzed asteroid samples brought to Earth by a US spacecraft say they found organic compounds essential for making proteins and DNA.
The team of scientists from US space agency NASA and other institutions says the findings suggest that the conditions necessary for the emergence of life were widespread across the early solar system.
The team released the findings on Wednesday. The scientists studied rock and dust samples from an asteroid called Bennu, which orbits the sun between Earth and Mars.
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft delivered the samples to Earth in 2023.
The scientists say the samples contained 14 of the 20 amino acids that life on Earth uses to make proteins, as well as all five nucleobases that life uses to store and transmit genetic instructions in DNA and RNA, which serve as the blueprints of life.
The team also says there were traces indicating that water once existed on the asteroid and gradually evaporated over a long period.
The scientists say the Bennu's samples are "pivotal" in their "understanding of what ingredients in our solar system existed before life started on Earth."
The team of scientists from US space agency NASA and other institutions says the findings suggest that the conditions necessary for the emergence of life were widespread across the early solar system.
The team released the findings on Wednesday. The scientists studied rock and dust samples from an asteroid called Bennu, which orbits the sun between Earth and Mars.
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft delivered the samples to Earth in 2023.
The scientists say the samples contained 14 of the 20 amino acids that life on Earth uses to make proteins, as well as all five nucleobases that life uses to store and transmit genetic instructions in DNA and RNA, which serve as the blueprints of life.
The team also says there were traces indicating that water once existed on the asteroid and gradually evaporated over a long period.
The scientists say the Bennu's samples are "pivotal" in their "understanding of what ingredients in our solar system existed before life started on Earth."
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Summary
Scientists studying asteroid Bennu samples from NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft discovered essential organic compounds for protein and DNA synthesis. The findings suggest that life-favorable conditions were common in the early solar system. Samples contained 14 of Earth's amino acids and all five
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ID: 581daadc-a144-467d-a5ed-e78673c7d753
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250130_25/
Date: Jan. 30, 2025
Created: 2025/01/31 07:00
Updated: 2025/12/08 06:41
Last Read: 2025/01/31 07:25