Scientists discover traces of life in NASA asteroid samples

Researchers have discovered evidence of organic compounds in asteroid samples collected by NASA, a discovery that may imply necessary components of life were disseminated throughout the solar system.

The OSIRIS-REx probe, launched by NASA in 2016, gathered samples of dust, soil, and rocks from the asteroid Bennu, which it brought back to Earth in 2023.

The samples contained thousands of organic compounds, including amino acids, which are key elements in forming proteins found on Earth.

Although researchers did not discover any actual life forms on the asteroid, these results reinforce the theory that life may be present beyond our solar system.

These discoveries also recommend that the probability of life forming on other planets within our solar system may be greater than was previously considered.

"The OSIRIS-REx mission is already redefining what we think we know about the fundamental components needed for life's emergence within our solar system," Nicky Fox, the associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, stated on Wednesday.

(QG - NBC news / Picture: Unsplash)

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