Is there sugar in space? Unusual find on asteroid sheds light on the origin of life

A recent mission to an asteroid is shedding light on the building blocks of life in our solar system. In 2023, NASAs OSIRIS-REx spacecraft returned samples from the asteroid Bennu to Earth, and scientists have now confirmed the presence of sugar.

Research published in Nature Geoscience reports that Bennus samples contain six-carbon glucose. Combined with previously discovered amino acids, the asteroid appears to hold key ingredients necessary for forming RNA, a fundamental component of life.

The OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule touched down at the Utah Test and Training Range on September 24, 2023, carrying materials collected from Bennu in October 2020.

Romy Hanna, a research associate at the University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences, described the discovery as really cool, highlighting the excitement among scientists even when their primary research focused on minerals rather than organic molecules.

Bennu was selected for the mission because it meets conditions reflecting the early solar system. Hanna notes that the materials found on Bennu are widespread throughout the solar system, offering a glimpse of primordial conditions.

Essential Ingredients for Life

Danny Glavin from NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center emphasized that Bennu contains 14 of the 20 amino acids used to build proteins, as well as all five nucleobases that form DNA and RNA. While amino acids have been previously detected in asteroids, Bennu yielded the amino acid tryptophan, a complex molecule not found on other asteroids before.

Unlike meteorites that reach Earth and often suffer contamination, Bennus samples were preserved in pristine condition, preventing any exposure to Earths atmosphere. Professor Sara Russell of the Natural History Museum in London noted the importance of maintaining the integrity of these samples for accurate analysis.

Hanna highlighted the unique nature of Bennu and similar asteroids due to their sugars, organic compounds, and unusual salts. These salts likely formed from water that gradually evaporated from the asteroids surface, creating an environment favorable for organic chemistry.

Additional Findings

Scientists also discovered a gum-like polymer in Bennus samples, as reported in Nature Astronomy. This material, rich in nitrogen and oxygen, was once soft and pliable and may have played a role in the early chemical processes leading to life on Earth.

Author: Ethan Caldwell