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New Study Reveals Amino Acids Form in Icy Environments

2/17/2026

Summary

Story summary

A study from The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) analyzing NASA's OSIRIS-REx samples from the 4.6-billion-year-old Bennu asteroid shows amino acids can form in icy, radioactive environments, not only in warm water.
The findings challenge the Strecker synthesis theory and show Bennu's amino acids differ from the Murchison meteorite.
The results imply amino acids may form in varied environments, prompting study of prebiotic chemistry and life potential on other planets.

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Story summary

A study from The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) analyzing NASA's OSIRIS-REx samples from the 4.6-billion-year-old Bennu asteroid shows amino acids can form in icy, radioactive environments, not only in warm water.
The findings challenge the Strecker synthesis theory and show Bennu's amino acids differ from the Murchison meteorite.
The results imply amino acids may form in varied environments, prompting study of prebiotic chemistry and life potential on other planets.