The study found that the asteroid is rich in prebiotic organic matter, including several types of amino acids that are used to regulate chemical reactions and build the proteins needed to build structures like hair and muscle. These molecules can also be formed by various non-living processes, such as the chemical reactions that can occur in asteroids.
Also, the Ryugu sample contains organic prebiotic molecules formed in the presence of liquid water, another vital component for life, such as aliphatic amines, carboxylic acids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds.
Why is this research important?
The obtained data support the theory that there were the main components necessary for the origin of life on Earth. it may have been sent to the planet in its embryonic form from space. The study of these chemical processes that may have led to life on Earth is known as “prebiotic chemistry.”
The study also compared the Ryugu sample with samples from the asteroid Bennu collected in 2020. The OSIRIS-REx mission is expected to return a much larger sample mass from Bennu to Earth in 2023, providing another important opportunity to study traces of the organic building blocks of life on the carbon-rich asteroid.
While some organic compounds were not found in the Ryugu sample, the team suspects they may exist, but their amounts were below the detection limit given the small mass of the sample analyzed. Future studies will continue to compare the Ryugu sample with samples from other asteroids.
Mission Hayabusa 2
The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency collected samples from Ryugu, located approximately 215 million miles from Earth, in February 2019. The samples were then returned to Earth in December 2020 and began examination in Japan in 2021.
This study is the first organic analysis of Ryugu samples that will be studied for many years. The results provide valuable information about the origin of life on Earth and may have implications for our understanding of the possibility of life on other planets.
Source: 24 Tv
I’m Maurice Knox, a professional news writer with a focus on science. I work for Div Bracket. My articles cover everything from the latest scientific breakthroughs to advances in technology and medicine. I have a passion for understanding the world around us and helping people stay informed about important developments in science and beyond.