All the essential ingredients to kick-start #life as we know it have now been found in samples from the #asteroid #Bennu.

Asteroids could have delivered all the prerequisites for life to Earth – and perhaps elsewhere.

In 2020, OSIRIS-REx mission extracted samples from Bennu, an asteroid that was orbiting the #sun between Mars and Jupiter, and returned the samples to Earth in 2023.

Since then, small amounts of the 121 grams collected have been sent out to labs across the globe for analysis, so specialists in detecting each type of biological compound could set to work.

The first studies revealed the presence of #water, #carbon and several organic molecules. Next came the detection of amino acids, formaldehyde and all five of the nucleobases found in #RNA and #DNA, as well as phosphates.

However, this isn’t quite enough to put together the molecules that carry genetic information.

Now, scientists have revealed the presence of #ribose, as well as other sugars, including lyxose, xylose, arabinose, glucose and galactose.

#astrobiology
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2506650-asteroid-bennu-carries-all-the-ingredients-for-life-as-we-know-it/

Paper by Furukawa et al. (2025): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01838-6

All the essential ingredients to kick-start #life as we know it have now been found in samples from the #asteroid #Bennu.

Asteroids could have delivered all the prerequisites for life to Earth – and perhaps elsewhere.

In 2020, OSIRIS-REx mission extracted samples from Bennu, an asteroid that was orbiting the #sun between Mars and Jupiter, and returned the samples to Earth in 2023.

Since then, small amounts of the 121 grams collected have been sent out to labs across the globe for analysis, so specialists in detecting each type of biological compound could set to work.

The first studies revealed the presence of #water, #carbon and several organic molecules. Next came the detection of amino acids, formaldehyde and all five of the nucleobases found in #RNA and #DNA, as well as phosphates.

However, this isn’t quite enough to put together the molecules that carry genetic information.

Now, scientists have revealed the presence of #ribose, as well as other sugars, including lyxose, xylose, arabinose, glucose and galactose.

#astrobiology
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2506650-asteroid-bennu-carries-all-the-ingredients-for-life-as-we-know-it/

Paper by Furukawa et al. (2025): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01838-6

Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, has been found to exist on #Bennu, a small #asteroid that swings by our #planet about every six years.

The discovery stems from an unprecedented sample collected by the OSIRIS-REx mission, which landed a #spacecraft on the asteroid in 2020, captured 121.6 grams of rocks and dust, and safely returned the cache to Earth in 2023.

Studying Bennu is important because its composition reflects that of the early solar system, giving scientists a glimpse into the beginnings of #life.

Finding tryptophan in the Bennu asteroid is a big deal, because #tryptophan is one of the more complex amino acids, and until now it had never been seen in any #meteorite or space sample.

The presence of tryptophan in an asteroid supports the idea that the recipe for life might not have begun only on Earth. Seeing it form naturally in space tells us that these ingredients were already being made out in the early Solar System. That would have made it easier for life to get started.

#astrobiology
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/27/science/tryptophan-asteroid-bennu-nasa-sample

Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, has been found to exist on #Bennu, a small #asteroid that swings by our #planet about every six years.

The discovery stems from an unprecedented sample collected by the OSIRIS-REx mission, which landed a #spacecraft on the asteroid in 2020, captured 121.6 grams of rocks and dust, and safely returned the cache to Earth in 2023.

Studying Bennu is important because its composition reflects that of the early solar system, giving scientists a glimpse into the beginnings of #life.

Finding tryptophan in the Bennu asteroid is a big deal, because #tryptophan is one of the more complex amino acids, and until now it had never been seen in any #meteorite or space sample.

The presence of tryptophan in an asteroid supports the idea that the recipe for life might not have begun only on Earth. Seeing it form naturally in space tells us that these ingredients were already being made out in the early Solar System. That would have made it easier for life to get started.

#astrobiology
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/27/science/tryptophan-asteroid-bennu-nasa-sample

Finally here! Two years after #NASA 's #OSIRIS-REx mission returned samples of #asteroid #Bennu to Earth, we have now received 319 mg to study in our labs. We are hoping to determine Bennu’s isotopic composition and learn more about its “birthplace” in the Solar System.
#OSIRISREx #AsteroidBennu

Finally here! Two years after #NASA 's #OSIRIS-REx mission returned samples of #asteroid #Bennu to Earth, we have now received 319 mg to study in our labs. We are hoping to determine Bennu’s isotopic composition and learn more about its “birthplace” in the Solar System.
#OSIRISREx #AsteroidBennu