A recent study on a carbon-rich asteroid has shed new light on one of humanity’s most enduring questions: why do all living things have left-handed amino acids? A team of researchers, led by senior sample scientist Danny Glavin, analyzed samples from Bennu, an asteroid launched into space by NASA’s $800 million OSIRIS-Rex mission. The results threw a curveball at the leading hypothesis that the early solar system favored one type of amino acid.
According to scientists, all biological molecules, including sugars and amino acids, come in two mirror-image forms – left and right. This property, known as chirality, is essential for life’s complexity. However, researchers have long wondered why biological molecules predominantly take on one form over the other.
The team found that Bennu’s mineral fragments showed no favoritism towards left or right-handed amino acids, contradicting previous studies that suggested space rocks delivered these compounds to Earth. The implications are profound: it raises questions about whether life had to be left-handed and whether the universe predisposes us to a specific type of biology.
While some scientists have expressed concerns about the potential risks of discovering mirror cells in laboratories, others see this as an opportunity for new research. By studying more samples from asteroids, researchers hope to uncover other amino acids’ handedness and potentially develop new biosignatures to detect extraterrestrial life.
“It’s actually making the search for life easier,” said Danny Glavin. “We can now believe that if there’s an amplification of one type over the other, it may be due to biology behind it.”
Source: https://mashable.com/article/nasa-bennu-asteroid-amino-acids-surprise