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VisitAsteroid Ryugu Samples Show Earthly Bacteria, 20,000 Molecules, 15 Amino Acids
Nov 26, 2024, 09:16 AM
Scientists analyzing samples from the asteroid Ryugu, brought back by Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft in 2020, have identified traces of Earthly bacteria, likely due to contamination. The findings caution against premature claims of alien life. The samples also provide significant insights into the formation of the solar system and the origins of Earth's water. Researchers detected 20,000 types of organic molecules, including 15 amino acids, which are fundamental building blocks for life. “It’s just everything possible from which life could emerge,” said organic geoscientist Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin. These discoveries highlight the asteroid's potential to shed light on the chemical precursors of life on Earth.
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Primarily extraterrestrial origin • 25%
Significant Earth contamination • 25%
Mixture of both • 25%
Inconclusive • 25%
New Contamination Protocols • 25%
Revised Mission Designs • 25%
Increased Research Funding • 25%
No Significant Changes • 25%
JAXA • 25%
NASA • 25%
ESA • 25%
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New mineral discovery • 25%
New insights on lunar geology • 25%
No significant breakthrough • 25%
New insights on lunar history • 25%
Meteorite impacts • 33%
Volcanic activity • 33%
New mineral discovery • 34%
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Other significant discovery • 25%
New amino acids • 25%
Extraterrestrial life evidence • 25%
New organic molecules • 25%
Spacecraft contamination prevention • 25%
Chemical composition • 25%
Life precursors • 25%
Contamination analysis • 25%