Asteroid sample reveals key chemistry that could lead to life
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NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has discovered that the asteroid Bennu contains water-rich minerals, offering new clues about the early solar system. Scientists analyzing the collected samples found clay minerals with evidence of ancient water, as well as carbon-based compounds that could be linked to the building blocks of life. These findings suggest that asteroids like Bennu may have played a role in delivering key ingredients for life to Earth.
Researchers identified specific hydrated minerals, including phyllosilicates, which indicate that liquid water once flowed through Bennu’s surface. The presence of organic molecules in the samples adds to the growing evidence that carbon-rich asteroids could have influenced Earth's early chemistry. NASA’s ongoing study of the samples will provide deeper insights into the history of water and organic material in the solar system.
