
NASA’s analysis of rock and dust samples from asteroid Bennu has revealed crucial chemical building blocks of life, supporting theories that asteroids may have seeded early Earth with essential ingredients for life’s emergence.
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collected these samples in 2020 and delivered them to Earth in 2023.
Two recent studies published in Nature and Nature Astronomy found a diverse mix of organic compounds, including 14 amino acids essential for protein formation and all five nucleobases—the genetic components of DNA and RNA.
Scientists also discovered minerals formed by evaporated brine, suggesting Bennu’s parent body once had liquid water, an environment where prebiotic chemistry could have occurred.
These findings strengthen the theory that asteroids delivered organic compounds to early Earth and raise the possibility that life’s building blocks exist throughout the solar system.
Unlike meteorite samples that may be contaminated on Earth, Bennu’s samples remain pristine, increasing confidence in these results.