Ryugu Asteroid Sample Reveals That It Has A Rich Complement Of Organic Molecules
By Keith Cowing Press Release February 23, 2023 Filed under aliphatic amines, amino acids, asteroid, carboxylic acids, Hayabusa2, JAXA, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, organic molecules, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, prebiotic, Ryugu This conceptual image illustrates the types of organic molecules found in the sample of asteroid Ryugu collected by Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Organics are the building blocks of all known forms of terrestrial life and consist of a wide variety of compounds made of carbon combined with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and other atoms. However, organic molecules can also be created by non-living processes, such as chemical reactions in asteroids. Credits: NASA/JAXA/Dan Gallagher Asteroid Ryugu has a rich complement of organic molecules, according to a NASA and international team’s initial analysis of a sample from the asteroid’s surface delivered to ...