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NASA Discovers Life's Building Blocks in Asteroid Samples

11/28/2025

Summary

Story summary

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission identified tryptophan, an essential amino acid, in samples returned from asteroid Bennu.
The discovery was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Bennu is a 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid that contains 15 of the 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis.
Researchers emphasize pristine space samples because atmospheric entry can alter their chemistry and the findings support that asteroids delivered life-building ingredients to Earth.

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Story summary

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission identified tryptophan, an essential amino acid, in samples returned from asteroid Bennu.
The discovery was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Bennu is a 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid that contains 15 of the 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis.
Researchers emphasize pristine space samples because atmospheric entry can alter their chemistry and the findings support that asteroids delivered life-building ingredients to Earth.