Water And Carbon Abundantly Discovered In Asteroid Sample, Fueling Life’s Cosmic Origins Theory

NASA Wednesday announced that a sample collected from the surface of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu contains significant amounts of water and carbon.

This discovery adds compelling evidence to the theory that life on Earth may have been seeded from outer space.

These astonishing findings were unveiled as NASA granted the public their first glimpse of the contents within a sealed capsule that returned to Earth last month.

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The capsule had transported material gathered from the 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid’s surface by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.

“This is the largest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever to return to Earth,” stated NASA Administrator Bill Nelson during a press event at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, where the initial images of black dust and pebbles were displayed.

Approximately 5 percent of the sample’s total weight consisted of carbon, which existed in both organic and mineral forms. Additionally, water was found locked within the crystal structure of clay minerals, according to Nelson.

This groundbreaking revelation resulted from a preliminary analysis that encompassed electron microscopy, X-ray computed tomography, and other advanced techniques.

These preliminary findings raise the possibility of further discoveries that could reinforce the hypothesis that the primordial ingredients for life on early Earth were delivered by celestial objects like comets, asteroids, and meteorites that pelted the nascent planet.

“The secrets concealed within the rocks and dust from the asteroid will be studied for decades to come, offering insights into how our solar system was formed, how precursor materials for life might have been seeded on Earth, and what precautions must be taken to avert asteroid collisions with our home planet,” NASA stated.

Calling this material “an astrobiologist’s dream,” senior NASA scientist Daniel Glavin highlighted that early analysis indicated that the sample appeared to be “loaded with organics.”

These initial findings are the culmination of the seven-year roundtrip journey made by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to Bennu’s surface before releasing its collected sample in a sealed capsule, which parachuted back to Earth last month.

Launched in 2016, OSIRIS-REx reached Bennu in 2018 and spent nearly two years orbiting the asteroid before approaching closely enough to collect a sample of loose surface material using its robotic arm in October 2020. At the event held on Wednesday, attendees were only able to view photos and videos of the samples. The actual asteroid pieces remain securely stored behind closed doors in a new laboratory at the space center, accessible only to scientists wearing protective gear.

The displayed sample images depicted a loose aggregation of small charcoal-colored rocks, pebbles, and dust located in the outer section of the spacecraft’s sample storage canister. Technicians are still systematically disassembling the canister containing the majority of the specimen, a process anticipated to take an additional two weeks.

However, the “bonus” sample of overflow material was swiftly examined, as stated by Dante Lauretta, the principal mission investigator at the University of Arizona. Scientists discovered that the material was rich in carbon, accounting for nearly 5 percent of its weight, a crucial element for all life on Earth. Water molecules were also found locked within the crystalline structure of clay fibers.

In addition, scientists identified iron minerals in the form of iron sulfides and iron oxides, which suggest formation in a water-rich environment, Lauretta noted at a subsequent news briefing.

Bennu, discovered in 1999, is described by scientists as a relatively loose accumulation of rocky materials, akin to a rubble pile, held together by gravity. It measures about 500 meters across (0.3 miles).

Like other asteroids, Bennu is considered a relic from the early solar system. As its current-day chemistry and mineralogy have remained virtually unchanged since its formation, it offers vital insights into the origins and evolution of rocky planets such as Earth, making it a focal point for studies of astrobiology.

In the coming months, the asteroid sample will be divided into smaller specimens, distributed to approximately 200 scientists across 60 laboratories worldwide, promising further revelations into the mysteries of our cosmic origins.