Building blocks of life found in samples from asteroid Bennu

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – NASA has appeared from the asteroid Beno some of the basic building blocks of life, according to the research that provides some of the best evidence so far that these space rocks may have risen to the early Earth with raw raw the components that have strengthened The appearance of living organisms.

In 2020, the spacecraft of Osrice-Rix collected Osiris-Rex Agency in 2020 samples of the asteroid near Earth, which are rocky residue of a larger celestial body formed near the dawn of the solar system about 4.5 billion years ago. Samples were handed over to Earth in 2023 by an umbrella inside a capsule issued by Osiris Rex, which fell in the desert of Utah.

Two analysis of the samples were published on Wednesday.

One of them, in Nature Astronomy, found that samples contain a varied mix of organic compounds. And the other, in the journal Nature, it was found that samples contain minerals formed when salty water – salt water – on the Bennu body, is the type of wet environment that may be fermented by organic chemistry before the manuscript.

In the samples there are 14 of 20 organic vehicles called amino acids that are used to make proteins – complex molecules that play indispensable roles in the structure of living organisms, function and regulation. Also present all the five nucleus – the genetic components of the DNA and RNA in all life on Earth.

In the early solar system, planets including Earth and various moons are supported by asteroids and other spaces that carry water and chemicals including organic compounds.

“The discovery of these basic building blocks of these life in Beno’s samples supports the theory that asteroids and their fragments were planting the early earth with raw components that led to the emergence of life,” said Danny two sits of NASA’s space scientist at the Goddard Space Center. Maryland, one of the leaders of one of the studies.

“In addition, the fact that these chemical building blocks can be formed in space and are widespread throughout the solar system that increases the chances of life that can begin outside the Earth.”

Organic compounds contain or more carbon atoms associated with other elements, and hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur are usually. All life depends on the Earth on carbon and is built of organic compounds, including amino acids used to create proteins and nucleiops.

Nucleobase is a nitrogen compound that stores genetic information. DNA (dioxeriponocalcic acid) and RNA (ribonocalic acid) are a cousin of vital molecules that are basic molecules in cell biology. DNA has a genetic symbol of the organism. RNA carries the genetic information it receives from DNA, which puts this information into practice.

“All biology consists of organic compounds. The origin of life is related to organic chemistry, which has been preserved in these rocks 4.5 billion years ago,” said Jasson Durkin, a astronomer and co-author of the study. .

Bennu’s organic vehicles were previously identified in the meteorites that landed on the ground. But there were remaining questions because these meteorites could be contaminated with ground sources. Bennu samples were obtained directly from the asteroid and kept the virgin.

“We can trust these results,” said Glavin.

It seems that the Bennu ice body, perhaps about 60 miles (100 km), may be formed in the outer solar system and was later destroyed, perhaps 1-2 billion years ago. Then the Bennu fragments and other asteroids formed a “rubble pile” – a mixture of rock materials instead of solid objects.

Early in its history, it appears that some ice inside the mother body is slaughtered and formed a saline solution. The minerals formed in the evaporation of this saline solution have not been discovered before in the meteorites that landed on the ground.

“Environmental salts provide an environment in which simple elements and organic materials can guarantee to form a more complex organic on the way to the path of life,” said Geological scientist Tim McCoy, Amin Nizo at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington and the author of Geods. From one of the studies.

The researchers did not find evidence of actual DNA or RNA in samples.

“The Simple and Simple Protein Equipment Group that is found in Bennu is far from anything that can be considered“ alive ”, for example, a more complex chemical system that can repetition and development that consists of many large polymers – proteins and DNA – found in cells “.

(Will Doneham’s reports, edited by Rosalba Operation) participated