NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has delivered remarkable insights into the origins of Earth’s water, organic molecules that may have seeded life here and elsewhere, and the fundamental materials and building blocks of our planet and solar system. From 4 ounces of dust and rock, scientists have uncovered key details about asteroid Bennu, a carbonaceous asteroid rich in carbon and other elements crucial to life’s chemistry.
Associate Professor Michelle Thompson, who led the OSIRIS-REx science team, hailed the discovery as “a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.” The samples, which include incredibly large amounts of ammonia, provide clues about how Earth’s water might have arrived. Scientists found that Bennu’s parent body had known building blocks for biomolecules, water, and energy to keep the water liquid.
The analysis of mineral content, stable isotopes, and organic compounds from the asteroid samples offers vital context about the formation of life-supporting environments. The discovery sheds light on how asteroids are relics of the early solar system, serving as time capsules that can reveal insights into the origin of our solar system and life on Earth.
While the samples measure just a few ounces, their significance is immense. The findings have sparked debate about panspermia, the theory that life or its essential building blocks could be distributed throughout the universe via meteoroids, asteroids, comets, or even space dust. As scientists continue to analyze the pristine material from asteroid Bennu, they may uncover the answer to whether humanity is the ultimate result of an asteroid collision with our planet billions of years ago.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/are-humans-the-aliens-nasa-finds-all-of-lifes-key-ingredients-in-asteroid-bennu-sample