Bennu Samples Reveal DNA Clues and Liquid Water Evidence

[{"selector":"#anim-24eedb95-47c7-4464-8ef0-02d8a453d7ba","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b07c53f-1127-4df5-aeb0-cb530db7dbf9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-630cc163-a16f-4f2e-af1f-080b68f9c6df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ff2f1a6-097e-4a0d-8a2a-4d638616739d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Bennu Samples Reveal DNA Clues and Liquid Water Evidence Rahul Somvanshi

NASA scientists found life's basic building blocks in pristine rock samples from asteroid Bennu, delivered to Earth in 2023 by OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.

[{"selector":"#anim-5afdac68-e787-48a6-9f97-8b790c280155","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9bd70c81-0bf6-437f-9002-a1f55e912a1a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-833d2565-5d60-4128-a306-6204e0f02ebd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ee7aaea-4282-4f8d-8335-151b83bd2494","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-722ddfb8-86b0-4bf4-8003-a70706098c38","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: OSIRIS-REx (@NASA)

The samples contain 14 amino acids used to make proteins and all five nucleobases needed for DNA and RNA - fundamental components found in living cells.

[{"selector":"#anim-40e18696-940b-4df4-9fe7-dbc40493a5b2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1732dd9-e261-4014-8d4a-339eccd91435","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.78070%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea748e1d-d7b1-4d6e-80b2-6a25aa5b7929","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-596d5f02-40f3-4a25-9b4d-73ebf341be34","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ceed07c9-a95a-4e67-9db3-cd0ca85140df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: JAXA’s Institute of Space (@NASA)

Ammonia levels measured 100 times higher than Earth's natural amounts, mixed with formaldehyde that could help form complex molecules.

[{"selector":"#anim-c5b51dcb-08ec-43d2-ae5a-b9e22e837eec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1bc0985e-0b74-4bf6-8c18-c5ae552df7ea","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3aa29542-790b-4b23-9503-d9804f815dde","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4169bf77-6590-4a51-850a-70dcde28305e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c5f2902-893c-4f8e-952f-c07eeb55b8f0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Molly Wasser (@NASA)

Unlike contaminated meteorites, Bennu's sealed samples provided pure evidence that ingredients for life existed far from the Sun.

[{"selector":"#anim-e2ea3672-4076-41b9-8c06-17dddca0c4d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6fa9dad2-43b6-4acf-ac7a-daf43e9e5f3d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.52108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-792749ff-d757-41e5-9b1e-648385cf077d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ffb2fb1c-1855-4dfb-be52-5741e251bc25","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ecd04be4-c4ef-48d3-9889-ffc1a1542550","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: OSIRIS-REx (@NASA)

Scientists detected 11 minerals created by evaporating salt water, suggesting Bennu's parent body once held liquid reservoirs.

[{"selector":"#anim-71512927-adb1-4f2e-b4e6-7735656bd52a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d51d6e1-4404-4f7f-b939-49e53fbde8a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75b69f39-37c8-4a5a-8eba-f14914a32e4e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90c916ba-1d78-44f4-843e-7b7bf848c837","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d69a7a8f-dc3e-4b31-b994-a8e30d9a7b27","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: OSIRIS-REx (@NASA)

A mineral called trona appeared in space rocks for the first time, expanding our knowledge of extraterrestrial materials.

[{"selector":"#anim-8a8da6e7-86c9-4a62-863b-79a5710fdeba","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-197765c0-983d-4f4b-bd2e-3dfc3a0f85cd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.07145%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d2a8430-2eb9-4f6a-8ef3-64654d840e32","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a9b1489-31de-4ebd-b0b5-4322717780c4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c6654ed-c958-496d-88b8-58f018cdc252","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: OSIRIS-REx (@NASA)

Unlike Earth's life using only left-handed amino acids, Bennu samples showed equal amounts of left and right-handed versions.

[{"selector":"#anim-0bd3a0a2-eaa3-41a1-9544-6e92558608d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d9229667-c953-4d42-aca2-d40d58747eb4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6d3b87e-38bc-45b1-8ace-dcae95b638ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b97512c-8824-4571-9755-796cb9385033","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c50791c2-08fd-494e-8bc7-3405dccec576","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: James Tralie (@NASA)

The findings prove conditions for life were common across the early solar system, though they don't confirm life existed elsewhere.

[{"selector":"#anim-be94d932-765e-497f-ab1f-c005fd9696f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-864d5222-cf19-4cb1-867b-6c0237e83325","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 196.29626%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-457fbc92-4d3b-42ed-9641-6ab611759d0e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92c59186-f0ea-455e-a52e-efbc8747f348","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -113.98032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-65af19c4-3e29-478b-bf56-781184a950b9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: OSIRIS-REx (@NASA)

[{"selector":"#anim-6ed5b986-65d3-43aa-93b1-769103c27c0b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a42af053-c21b-4d5d-95b4-da16b6044ba4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f2b89ea9-e5be-48ed-8bb4-e2015311a694","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6046dab-d84b-4349-aa10-71b364d04dad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0bb8c37-f7cb-4a01-91c4-77fba3dcfba1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Asteroid 2024 YR4 May Hit Earth in 2032 Learn more