Scientists analyzing samples collected from the asteroid Bennu have made a groundbreaking discovery—organic molecules that are fundamental to life. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, which retrieved the samples and returned them to Earth in September 2023, has provided new insights into the early solar system’s chemistry and the potential origins of life.  

According to NASA, the Bennu samples contain amino acids, the essential compounds that form the building blocks of proteins and are crucial for life as we know it. Researchers also detected traces of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, key elements necessary for the development of biological processes. The findings strengthen the theory that organic molecules essential for life may have been delivered to Earth through asteroid impacts billions of years ago.  

"This discovery confirms that the conditions necessary for the emergence of life were widespread in the early solar system," NASA scientists said in a statement. The presence of these organic compounds suggests that asteroids like Bennu may have played a significant role in seeding planets and moons with the ingredients for life.  

Bennu, a 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid, was selected for the OSIRIS-REx mission due to its pristine composition, which has remained largely unchanged since the formation of the solar system. The spacecraft collected the sample in 2020 and successfully delivered it to Earth three years later. Scientists will continue analyzing the material to further understand its chemical composition and implications for astrobiology.  

The discovery marks a major milestone in the search for extraterrestrial life and deepens our understanding of the universe’s potential to harbor living organisms.