Recent findings from the asteroid Bennu suggest that organic compounds, essential for the emergence of life, might not be unique to Earth. A NASA study indicates that similar chemistry could be occurring on the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, increasing the plausibility of extraterrestrial life. NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission was designed to explore such possibilities by studying the primordial materials that contributed to the solar system's formation. This research challenges the notion of Earth's uniqueness in the context of life, suggesting that the foundational ingredients may be more widespread in the cosmos.
A team of researchers reported in the journal Nature that the asteroid Bennu contains a wealth of organic molecules, raising the odds of finding life elsewhere.
Daniel Glavin stated, 'Our odds of finding life elsewhere are increasing,' highlighting the relevance of findings from asteroid Bennu.
The chemistry that produced these organic molecules from Bennu might be occurring today on the ice moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
This research implies that the right ingredients for life could be more common in the universe than previously thought.
Collection
[
|
...
]