Science
Bennu asteroid reveals its contents to scientists − and clues to how the building blocks of life on Earth may have been seeded
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returned samples from asteroid Bennu, revealing insights into life’s ingredients on Earth, paralleling those found in the Revelstoke meteorite’s analysis.
Timothy J McCoy, Smithsonian Institution and Sara Russell, Natural History Museum
A bright fireball streaked across the sky above mountains, glaciers and spruce forest near the town of Revelstoke in British Columbia, Canada, on the evening of March 31, 1965. Fragments of this meteorite, discovered by beaver trappers, fell over a lake. A layer of ice saved them from the depths and allowed scientists a peek into the birth of the solar system.
Nearly 60 years later, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returned from space with a sample of an asteroid named Bennu, similar to the one that rained rocks over Revelstoke. Our research team has published a chemical analysis of those samples, providing insight into how some of the ingredients for life may have first arrived on Earth.
Born in the years bracketing the Revelstoke meteorite’s fall, the two of us have spent our careers in the meteorite collections of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Natural History Museum in London. We’ve dreamed of studying samples from a Revelstoke-like asteroid collected by a spacecraft.
Then, nearly two decades ago, we began turning those dreams into reality. We joined NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission team, which aimed to send a spacecraft to collect and return an asteroid sample to Earth. After those samples arrived on Sept. 24, 2023, we got to dive into a tale of rock, ice and water that hints at how life could have formed on Earth.
The CI chondrites and asteroid Bennu
To learn about an asteroid – a rocky or metallic object in orbit around the Sun – we started with a study of meteorites.
Asteroids like Bennu are rocky or metallic objects in orbit around the Sun. Meteorites are the pieces of asteroids and other natural extraterrestrial objects that survive the fiery plunge to the Earth’s surface.
We really wanted to study an asteroid similar to a set of meteorites called chondrites, whose components formed in a cloud of gas and dust at the dawn of the solar system billions of years ago.
The Revelstoke meteorite is in a group called CI chondrites. Laboratory-measured compositions of CI chondrites are essentially identical, minus hydrogen and helium, to the composition of elements carried by convection from the interior of the Sun and measured in the outermost layer of the Sun. Since their components formed billions of years ago, they’re like chemically unchanged time capsules for the early solar system.
So, geologists use the chemical compositions of CI chondrites as the ultimate reference standard for geochemistry. They can compare the compositions of everything from other chondrites to Earth rocks. Any differences from the CI chondrite composition would have happened through the same processes that formed asteroids and planets.
CI chondrites are rich in clay and formed when ice melted in an ancient asteroid, altering the rock. They are also rich in prebiotic organic molecules. Some of these types of molecules are the building blocks for life.
This combination of rock, water and organics is one reason OSIRIS-REx chose to sample the organic-rich asteroid Bennu, where water and organic compounds essential to the origin of life could be found.
Evaporites − the legacy of an ancient brine
Ever since the Bennu samples returned to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023, we and our colleagues on four continents have spent hundreds of hours studying them.
The instruments on the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft made observations of reflected light that revealed the most abundant minerals and organics when it was near asteroid Bennu. Our analyses in the laboratory found that the compositions of these samples lined up with those observations.
The samples are mostly water-rich clay, with sulfide, carbonate and iron oxide minerals. These are the same minerals found in CI chondrites like Revelstoke. The discovery of rare minerals within the Bennu samples, however, surprised both of us. Despite our decades of experience studying meteorites, we have never seen many of these minerals.
We found minerals dominated by sodium, including carbonates, sulfates, chlorides and fluorides, as well as potassium chloride and magnesium phosphate. These minerals don’t form just when water and rock react. They form when water evaporates.
We’ve never seen most of these sodium-rich minerals in meteorites, but they’re sometimes found in dried-up lake beds on Earth, like Searles Lake in California.
Bennu’s rocks formed 4.5 billion years ago on a larger parent asteroid. That asteroid was wet and muddy. Under the surface, pockets of water perhaps only a few feet across were evaporating, leaving the evaporite minerals we found in the sample. That same evaporation process also formed the ancient lake beds we’ve seen these minerals in on Earth.
Bennu’s parent asteroid likely broke apart 1 to 2 billion years ago, and some of the fragments came together to form the rubble pile we know as Bennu.
These minerals are also found on icy bodies in the outer solar system. Bright deposits on the dwarf planet Ceres, the largest body in the asteroid belt, contain sodium carbonate. The Cassini mission measured the same mineral in plumes on Saturn’s moon Enceladus.
We also learned that these minerals, formed when water evaporates, disappear when exposed to water once again – even with the tiny amount of water found in air. After studying some of the Bennu samples and their minerals, researchers stored the samples in air. That’s what we do with meteorites.
Unfortunately, we lost these minerals as moisture in the air on Earth caused them to dissolve. But that explains why we can’t find these minerals in meteorites that have been on Earth for decades to centuries.
Fortunately, most of the samples have been stored and transported in nitrogen, protected from traces of water in the air.
Until scientists were able to conduct a controlled sample return with a spacecraft and carefully curate and store the samples in nitrogen, we had never seen this set of minerals in a meteorite.
An unexpected discovery
Before returning the samples, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft spent over two years making observations around Bennu. From that two years of work, researchers learned that the surface of the asteroid is covered in rocky boulders.
We could see that the asteroid is rich in carbon and water-bearing clays, and we saw veins of white carbonate a few feet long deposited by ancient liquid water. But what we couldn’t see from these observations were the rarer minerals.
We used an array of techniques to go through the returned sample one tiny grain at a time. These included CT scanning, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, each of which allowed us to look at the rock at a scale not possible on the asteroid.
Cooking up the ingredients for life
From the salts we identified, we could infer the composition of the briny water from which they formed and see how it changed over time, becoming more sodium-rich.
This briny water would have been an ideal place for new chemical reactions to take place and for organic molecules to form.
While our team characterized salts, our organic chemist colleagues were busy identifying the carbon-based molecules present in Bennu. They found unexpectedly high levels of ammonia, an essential building block of the amino acids that form proteins in living matter. They also found all five of the nucleobases that make up part of DNA and RNA.
Based on these results, we’d venture to guess that these briny pods of fluid would have been the perfect environments for increasingly complicated organic molecules to form, such as the kinds that make up life on Earth.
When asteroids like Bennu hit the young Earth, they could have provided a complete package of complex molecules and the ingredients essential to life, such as water, phosphate and ammonia. Together, these components could have seeded Earth’s initially barren landscape to produce a habitable world.
Without this early bombardment, perhaps when the pieces of the Revelstoke meteorite landed several billion years later, these fragments from outer space would not have arrived into a landscape punctuated with glaciers and trees.
Timothy J McCoy, Supervisory Research Geologist, Smithsonian Institution and Sara Russell, Professor of Planetary Sciences, Natural History Museum
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Moon Landing
In a significant milestone for space exploration, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 made a successful landing on the Moon at 3:34 a.m. EST on Sunday. Positioned near the volcanic feature of Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, a vast basin exceeding 300 miles in diameter, this event marks a pivotal moment in NASA’s initiatives concerning lunar exploration.
This successful moon landing represents the first delivery under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative for Firefly Aerospace, and it adds another achievement to the Artemis campaign aimed at returning humans to the Moon. The Blue Ghost lander now rests upright and stable on the lunar surface, ready to begin its suite of scientific operations.
The Blue Ghost craft is carrying ten cutting-edge NASA science and technology instruments designed to perform a variety of functions over approximately one lunar day, which translates to about 14 Earth days. Acting Administrator Janet Petro highlighted the importance of this mission, stating, “This incredible achievement demonstrates how NASA and American companies are leading the way in space exploration for the benefit of all.” The lessons learned from this mission will enhance future safety protocols for scientific exploration on the Moon and beyond.
Following its launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on January 15, the Blue Ghost traveled over 2.8 million miles. During this journey, it downlinked more than 27 gigabytes of data while conducting several critical science operations. One notable achievement included signal tracking from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) at a record distance of 246,000 miles, validating the potential for similar positioning systems to be used effectively on the Moon.
Nicky Fox, associate administrator for science at NASA Headquarters, emphasized the significance of this mission in laying the groundwork for future human presence on the Moon: “The science and technology we send to the Moon now helps prepare the way for future NASA exploration and long-term human presence to inspire the world for generations to come.”
The instruments aboard the Blue Ghost will perform a variety of tasks during their lunar surface operations, including testing advanced drilling technology, collecting regolith samples, and developing lunar dust mitigation strategies. The insights gained from these experiments will contribute to our understanding of how space weather and cosmic forces interact with Earth.
As operations continue, the team intends to capture stunning imagery of the lunar sunset and investigate the behaviors of lunar dust during dusk conditions—an occurrence previously documented by Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene Cernan. Following the lunar sunset, the lander will remain functional for several hours into the lunar night.
Firefly Aerospace’s CEO, Jason Kim, expressed gratitude to NASA for the partnership and outlined the significance of this mission. “Blue Ghost’s successful Moon landing has laid the groundwork for the future of commercial exploration across cislunar space,” he stated, adding, “We’re now looking forward to more than 14 days of surface operations to unlock even more science data that will have a substantial impact on future missions to the Moon and Mars.”
In total, five companies have been awarded 11 lunar deliveries under the CLPS initiative, propelling the lunar economy forward with over 50 instruments being sent to various lunar locations, including the lunar South Pole. With a cumulative maximum contract value of $2.6 billion through 2028, the CLPS initiative is set to revolutionize how we explore and utilize the Moon’s resources.
As we celebrate this monumental achievement, it is clear that the collaboration between NASA and companies like Firefly Aerospace is paving the way for a new era of exploration, promising exciting discoveries that will benefit our understanding of the cosmos and our own planet for generations to come.
Learn more about NASA’s CLPS initiative at:
The science section of our news blog STM Daily News provides readers with captivating and up-to-date information on the latest scientific discoveries, breakthroughs, and innovations across various fields. We offer engaging and accessible content, ensuring that readers with different levels of scientific knowledge can stay informed. Whether it’s exploring advancements in medicine, astronomy, technology, or environmental sciences, our science section strives to shed light on the intriguing world of scientific exploration and its profound impact on our daily lives. From thought-provoking articles to informative interviews with experts in the field, STM Daily News Science offers a harmonious blend of factual reporting, analysis, and exploration, making it a go-to source for science enthusiasts and curious minds alike. https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/
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The Bridge
Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. Patricia Era Bath: A Trailblazer in Ophthalmology and Beyond
In a world where innovation often shapes the future, few have left as profound a mark as Dr. Patricia Era Bath. Born on November 4, 1942, Dr. Bath transcended boundaries, redefining what it means to be a pioneer in medicine and a champion for the underserved. Her journey is not just a testament to her incredible intellect and skill as an ophthalmologist, but also to her unwavering commitment to humanitarianism and social justice.
A Visionary in Ophthalmology
Dr. Bath was not only a skilled surgeon; she was a revolutionary. As one of the early pioneers of laser cataract surgery, her work has changed the lives of countless individuals worldwide. The development of this innovative technique not only improved patient outcomes but also symbolized a turning point in ophthalmic surgery. With her groundbreaking achievements, Dr. Bath illustrated that the intersection of science and compassion could embody the essence of healthcare.
Her trailblazing career included being the first woman inducted as a member of the prestigious Jules Stein Eye Institute and the first woman to lead a post-graduate training program in ophthalmology. Moreover, her remarkable journey culminated in her becoming the first African-American woman on the staff at the UCLA Medical Center, where she pushed boundaries in a field historically dominated by men.
A Legacy of Firsts
Dr. Bath’s legacy is marked by her groundbreaking “firsts.” She was the first African-American person to complete residency in ophthalmology at New York University and the first African-American woman to serve as a surgeon at UCLA Medical Center. Even more impressive is her achievement of becoming the first African-American woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical invention, holding five patents in total.
Among her most notable contributions is the founding of the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness in Washington, D.C., where she tirelessly worked to raise awareness and address disparities in access to eye care. Dr. Bath’s pioneering spirit extended beyond her profession; she propelled an entire generation toward a future where access to quality medical treatment is a right, not a privilege.
A Voice for the Voiceless
Dr. Bath’s humanitarian work extended to advocacy as she sought to illuminate the challenges faced by marginalized communities in achieving equitable healthcare. In 2009, she was honored to stand beside President Barack Obama, recognizing her contributions in ophthalmology and serving on his commission for digital accessibility to blind children. Her efforts highlighted the pressing need for inclusivity in healthcare, technology, and education—echoing her steadfast belief that everyone deserves access to the tools that enhance sight and learning.
In April 2019, just weeks before her passing, Dr. Bath shared her insights during a Senate hearing titled “Trailblazers and Lost Einsteins: Women Inventors and the Future of American Innovation.” Her testimony shed light on the gender disparities in STEM fields and the crucial need for recognition and support of female inventors. Even in her final days, she was a beacon of hope and progress.
Remembering Dr. Patricia Bath
Dr. Patricia Era Bath passed away on May 30, 2019, due to cancer-related complications, leaving behind an inspiring legacy of resilience, empathy, and innovation. At age 76, she had changed the very fabric of medicine while reminding us of the vital importance of diversity in healthcare.
As we celebrate Dr. Bath’s life, let us remember her not only for her remarkable achievements but also for the path she has paved for future generations. Her legacy lives on, reminding us that the fight for equity in healthcare is far from over and that the spirit of innovation fuels our collective journey toward progress.
In honor of Dr. Bath, let us continue her mission to advance healthcare for all, celebrate diversity in all its forms, and strive to make the world a more equitable place—for sight, for education, and for justice. Rest in peace, Dr. Patricia Era Bath. Your vision changed the world, and you will forever be remembered as a true trailblazer.
Patricia Bath (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Bath
STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.
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Space and Tech
Blue Origin Announces Crew for New Shepard’s 31st Mission
🚀 Exciting news! Blue Origin announces its all-female crew for New Shepard’s NS-31 mission, featuring inspiring leaders like Katy Perry and Gayle King! 🌟
Blue Origin has exciting news as it announces the six remarkable individuals selected to fly on the NS-31 mission, the 11th human flight of its New Shepard program. This mission, set to launch this spring, features an inspiring all-female crew comprised of Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez. These extraordinary women aim not only to explore the wonders of space but also to empower and inspire future generations.
Meet the NS-31 Crew
Aisha Bowe
Aisha is a former NASA rocket scientist and a dedicated advocate for STEM education. As the CEO of STEMBoard, she leads an engineering firm that has made waves in the industry, being recognized twice on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. Additionally, she founded LINGO, an edtech company focused on providing tech skills to students worldwide. Inspired by her own journey from community college to space, Aisha hopes her experience will motivate young people, particularly in the Bahamas, to chase their dreams.
Amanda Nguyen
Amanda is a bioastronautics research scientist with an impressive academic background, having graduated from Harvard and conducted research at prominent institutions like MIT and NASA. She played a role in the last NASA shuttle mission and is renowned for her advocacy work for sexual violence survivors, earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. As the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut, Amanda’s flight symbolizes a powerful reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam, using science as a pathway to peace.
Gayle King
An award-winning journalist and co-host of CBS Mornings, Gayle King has a reputation for her heartfelt interviews and thought-provoking discussions. With a career built on compassion and insight, she embraces new challenges, including being part of Blue Origin’s first all-female flight team. Gayle looks forward to stepping outside her comfort zone and experiencing the thrill of space travel.
Katy Perry
As one of the best-selling female artists of all time, Katy Perry brings her star power to the NS-31 mission. Beyond her music career, she is a passionate advocate for various philanthropic causes, serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Through her Firework Foundation, Katy inspires underserved children to express themselves through the arts. Being part of this historic all-female crew fills her with pride, and she hopes her journey serves as a beacon of inspiration for her daughter and all aspiring dreamers.
Kerianne Flynn
After successful careers in fashion and human resources, Kerianne Flynn dedicated the last decade to community-building and storytelling through nonprofit work and film production. Her recent projects explore crucial social themes, including women in Hollywood and fair pay advocacy. With a lifelong passion for exploration and adventure, Kerianne aims to inspire her son, Dex, and a new generation of dreamers with her flight aboard New Shepard.
Lauren Sánchez
Lauren is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and licensed helicopter pilot. As Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, she is committed to addressing pressing climate issues. In 2016, she founded Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned aerial film and production company. Her children’s book, The Fly Who Flew to Space, became a New York Times bestseller. Lauren’s goal is to motivate the next generation of explorers to reach for the stars.
A Historic Mission
The NS-31 mission is a remarkable milestone for Blue Origin, being the first all-female flight crew since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963. This mission marks the 31st flight in New Shepard’s history, with the program having successfully flown 52 individuals above the Kármán line, the globally recognized boundary of space.
Read the press release: https://www.blueorigin.com/fr-FR/news/new-shepard-ns-31-mission
As anticipation builds for the upcoming launch, we celebrate these extraordinary women and their commitment to breaking barriers and inspiring future generations to follow their dreams. For those interested in flying on a future New Shepard mission, additional details can be found at BlueOrigin.com/New-Shepard/Fly.
Stay tuned for more updates as we approach this exciting launch!
Source: Blue Origin
The science section of our news blog STM Daily News provides readers with captivating and up-to-date information on the latest scientific discoveries, breakthroughs, and innovations across various fields. We offer engaging and accessible content, ensuring that readers with different levels of scientific knowledge can stay informed. Whether it’s exploring advancements in medicine, astronomy, technology, or environmental sciences, our science section strives to shed light on the intriguing world of scientific exploration and its profound impact on our daily lives. From thought-provoking articles to informative interviews with experts in the field, STM Daily News Science offers a harmonious blend of factual reporting, analysis, and exploration, making it a go-to source for science enthusiasts and curious minds alike. https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/
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