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Health Sciences

Asteroid Has Building Blocks for Life

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, launched in 2018, successfully reached the near-Earth asteroid Bennu with the goal of collecting and returning samples for scientific analysis. These samples have provided an unprecedented glimpse into the building blocks of life beyond our planet. Scientists discovered all five DNA and RNA nucleobases, along with 14 of the 20 amino acids essential for life on Earth, including all nine essential ones. Additionally, 19 non-protein amino acids were identified, making Bennu’s material the richest extraterrestrial source of life’s fundamental components ever studied.

The origin of these organic compounds can be traced back to Bennu’s parent asteroid, which formed around 4.5 billion years ago and likely contained liquid water. The collected material revealed the presence of nitrogen, ammonia-bearing compounds, and sodium carbonate—a substance commonly found in evaporated lakes on Earth but never before detected in meteorites or asteroids. These findings suggest that water once existed on Bennu, evaporating over time and leaving behind mineral-rich brines similar to those found in dried lakebeds on Earth. However, Bennu’s brines differ significantly from their terrestrial counterparts, containing high levels of phosphorus, a common meteorite element, while lacking boron, a key component of Earth's soda lakes.

The discovery of these organic-rich samples raises intriguing questions about the potential for prebiotic chemistry in space. While Bennu's chemical makeup provides the raw materials for life, scientists remain uncertain whether its environment could have supported the formation of complex organic molecules. “We now know we have the basic building blocks,” said Tim McCoy, a Smithsonian meteorite curator and co-author of the study, “but we don’t know how far along this pathway the environment could take them.” These results not only enhance our understanding of early solar system chemistry but also suggest that similar brines may exist on other celestial bodies, such as Ceres and Saturn’s moon Enceladus, further fueling the search for extraterrestrial life.

Lifestyle

Hydroponic Gardening

Hydroponic gardening is a space-efficient way to grow fresh vegetables at home, making it especially useful for those with limited outdoor areas or small living spaces. This video provides a step-by-step guide for beginners, covering the basics of setting up a simple hydroponic system without the need for soil. With the right setup, you can grow leafy greens, herbs, and other vegetables year-round, even in an apartment. Whether you're looking for a sustainable way to grow food or just want to try something new, this guide makes it easy to get started.

Environment

Darth Vader of the Seas

A recently identified species of giant isopod, Bathynomus vaderi, has gained attention—not as a seafood alternative to lobster tail, but because it had never been officially documented.

Peter Ng, a crustacean researcher at the National University of Singapore, played a key role in its classification. He and his team noted the isopod's resemblance to Darth Vader’s helmet, leading to its name. "The face of Bathynomus looks so much like Darth Vader that it just had to be named after the Sith Lord," Ng told New Scientist. The species lives in the deep waters around the Spratly Islands and the South China Sea. In Vietnam, where it is considered a delicacy, it is called bọ biển or “sea bug.” Like others in its genus, it has seven pairs of legs, can grow over a foot long, and weighs about two pounds.

In 2022, researchers obtained four specimens from fishmongers in Quy Nhơn, Vietnam. DNA analysis confirmed it as a previously undescribed species. Its discovery highlights the gaps in deep-sea exploration. "That a species this large remained undiscovered for so long shows how much we still need to learn about Southeast Asian waters," the researchers stated.

Mind Stretchers

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