As early as 2019, Japan's hayabusa-2 spacecraft collected samples from an asteroid called ryugu. The asteroid is nearly 200million miles away from the earth and has been the focus of research for some time. Now, the Japanese Education Department has shared the discovery of samples collected by hayabusa-2, and also pointed out that key components of life have been found on asteroids.
Samples from asteroids contain key components of life
Dragon Palace is a carbon rich fragment of a relatively large asteroid, which scientists believe was formed by dust and gas that helped form our solar system. Therefore, the age of these materials can give us a solid understanding of how these materials form what we know as space. In addition, it can tell us more about the appearance of the early solar system 4billion years ago.
Researchers say the asteroid is the most primitive material in the solar system they have studied. But on that asteroid, they found the key component of life - amino acids.
Amino acids are basically components of proteins. Therefore, they are absolutely essential for the organic molecules of life. One of the most fascinating aspects of this discovery is that scientists say they have found similar molecules in the ancient rocks of the earth. Therefore, it raises new questions about the role of asteroids in creating life on earth.
How organic matter forms under extraterrestrial conditions
A geochemist working with the Falcon 2 team pointed out that they wanted to better understand how organic compounds are formed in space. The building blocks of life are not only found on asteroids. They have also been found on Mars, and they must also exist on other planets.
Because the probability of extraterrestrial life is so high, some scientists even think that hostile alien civilizations may live in our Milky Way galaxy, so it is impossible that these components cannot be formed under extraterrestrial conditions. However, one of the biggest questions to be answered about such assumptions is how they formed -- and how they played a role in the formation of organic life on planets and other celestial bodies.
Scientists have speculated in the past that organic life on earth may have come to earth through comets and asteroids. Some even call octopuses extraterrestrial creatures. But figuring out how these materials were formed on asteroids and in the vacuum of space is another matter.
In any case, the discovery of the building blocks of life on Longgong asteroid is another point on the knowledge board of the universe we have obtained. With more study and research, scientists will hopefully better understand how these molecules are produced.