Japan’s explorer Hayabusa2 has made an exciting discovery on the asteroid Ryugu. Samples that the mission collected from here are rich in organic molecules, which could serve as the building blocks of life. Scientists at the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) found a large number of these “prebiotic organics" in just a 30-milligram sample. The findings support the present hypothesis about the origin of life-supporting ingredients on Earth, according to Space.com. The results will also pave the way for more in-depth and varied research regarding Ryugu.
Hayabusa2, a spacecraft of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), gathered samples from asteroid Ryugu, located 347 million kilometres from Earth. Collected in February 2019, the specimens reached Earth in December 2020. The samples were extracted in 2021 in Japan, with a small portion– 30 milligrams– being sent to NASA’s Goddard for analysis by the international soluble organic analysis team.
The team found that the specimens contained several such carbon-based compounds which can not only be formed without the involvement of living beings but are, in fact, essential to the development of life. These prebiotic organics include a variety of amino acids used by living things to build essential proteins. One theory suggests that these ingredients, necessary for the development of life, were delivered to the early Earth via meteorites and asteroids. The present findings add another layer of credibility to this theory. The finds from Ryugu are consistent with discoveries from carbon-rich meteorites.
It presents interesting possibilities, too. Since these heavenly bodies are often travelling around in space, they could have delivered life-creating essentials not just to the Earth, but to other planets as well. In a statement, lead author and Kyushu University researcher Hiroshi Naraoka said that “these molecules can be transported throughout the solar system, potentially dispersing as interplanetary dust particles after being ejected from the uppermost layer of the asteroid."
This latest research marks the first organic analysis of the Ryugu sample. The specimen itself will be the subject of critical studies for a long time to come. Investigations in the future will also comprise a comparison of this sample with those collected from the Bennu asteroid in 2020.
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