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Scientists have uncovered intriguing revelations about the composition and history of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu through recent analysis. The NASA OSIRIS-REx mission retrieved the sample in 2020. It returned it to Earth last year. This mission has provided scientists with a wealth of data to study.
The asteroid’s unexpectedly water-rich past is one of the most surprising discoveries from the analysis. Researchers found that Bennu’s dust contains high levels of carbon. It also has nitrogen and organic compounds. These are all crucial elements. They played a role in the formation of our solar system.
The presence of magnesium-sodium phosphate within the sample was particularly noteworthy. This compound, which is essential for biochemistry and potentially dissolvable in water, suggests a history of liquid environments on Bennu.
Moreover, the asteroid’s composition, rich in clay minerals like serpentine, bears striking similarities to rocks found on Earth’s midocean ridges. These ridges are known for interactions between mantle material and water, further supporting the hypothesis that Bennu originated from a watery world.
Origin of the Asteroid Bennu
Researchers speculate that Bennu might have broken away from early ocean world. This world existed in our solar system’s distant past. The purity and size of the phosphate grains found in the sample differentiate it from similar compounds discovered on other asteroids, like Ryugu.
OSIRIS-REx gave us exactly what we hoped: a large, pristine asteroid sample rich in nitrogen and carbon from a formerly wet world, said Jason Dworkin, coauthor of the study and project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Implications for Understanding Solar System Evolution
The findings from Bennu’s sample not only shed light on its own history but also offer valuable insights into how Earth-like planets evolve over cosmic timescales. These asteroids act as cosmic time capsules, preserving ancient materials dating back billions of years.
The rocks collected from Asteroid Bennu represent a time capsule from the early days of the solar system dating back more than 4.5 billion years, researchers shared.
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