NASA’s first asteroid samples came from ‘ancient ocean world’

By Nikki Main Science Reporter For Dailymail.Com

22:46 06 Feb 2024, updated 22:49 06 Feb 2024

The first asteroid sample brought back to Earth may have originated from an ancient world covered in oceans that may have provided suitable conditions for life. The initial analysis, conducted in October, revealed that Bennu contained significant amounts of water and carbon, leading scientists to propose that such asteroids may have carried the raw materials for life on Earth. Now, researchers at the University of Arizona suggest that Bennu was once part of a planet rich in water billions of years ago. They observed that some of the dark rocks on the asteroid are coated in a thin layer of brighter material similar to that found on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, which is thought to have a global ocean of liquid salty water. Researchers at the University of Arizona believe Bennu was part of a water-rich planet that existed billions of years ago. The team determined that some of the dark rocks on the asteroid are coated in a thin crust of brighter material that has been observed on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, which is believed to have a a global ocean of liquid salty water. Dante Lauretta, the mission’s principal investigator, stated that the asteroid sample contains structures that could yield insights into the origins of life. He has not yet published his findings but stated that his analysis of the material over the last few months shows that much of the rock is made of clay, including minerals called serpentites, which form on Earth when rock is pushed into a seabed and exposed to water, creating an exothermic reaction that generates heat. The team also noticed that brighter material covered Bennu’s dark rock, an extremely rare calcium and magnesium-rich phosphate mineral. This material is found on Enceladus, leading to theories about the possibility of life starting in the icy seabed. Fabian Klenner at the University of Washington in Seattle said, ‘There are indeed similarities between the mineralogy of Bennu and what has been found on Enceladus.’ The researchers emphasize that the findings do not confirm that life existed on the planet, but they highlight the importance of studying the origins of life through these samples. The OSIRIS-REx mission was launched in 2016 and landed in Salt Lake City, Utah in September 2023. The researchers aren’t claiming that the findings showed life existed on the planet, but that ‘origins of life is a big area of study for these samples’ The OSIRIS-REx mission collected samples from the Bennu asteroid which is located about 120 km from Earth The space agency sent a probe to the 1,250-foot asteroid Bennu in 2020 as part of a landmark mission to collect samples NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returned samples from the asteroid Bennu in 2023 after being sent to the space rock in 2016. The space agency sent a probe to the 1,250-foot asteroid Bennu in 2020 as part of a landmark mission to collect samples. The mission brought back about eight ounces of debris, which NASA believes holds building blocks from the dawn of our solar system and could provide clues to understanding how life formed on Earth. NASA chose to sample Bennu because it is believed to be rich in organic compounds. Bennu is a remnant of the formation of the solar system, and NASA believes the mission could provide insight into Earth’s history because weather, erosion, and plate tectonics have wiped away all evidence of how Earth formed. ‘We’re going back to the dawn of the solar system, we’re looking for clues as to why Earth is a habitable world, this rare jewel in outer space that has oceans, it has a protective atmosphere,’ Lauretta said after receiving samples from the OSIRIS-REx mission in September. ‘The biggest question is the origin of life and we believe that we’re bringing back that kind of material, maybe the seeds of life that these asteroids delivered at the beginning.’