Origins Of Life On Earth: 4.5 Billion-Year-Old Asteroid Holds Clues
NDTV
Scientists are hopeful that fragments from a 4.5-billion-year-old space rock will reveal the origins of our existence.
A sample of asteroid dust, dating back to the formation of the solar system, has arrived at the Natural History Museum in London. The dust was collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, which touched down on asteroid Bennu in 2020. Scientists hope to study the dust to learn more about the early history of our solar system.
According to The Guardian, the sample is just 100 milligrams, but it is incredibly valuable because it is untouched material from the asteroid. This means that it has not been contaminated by Earth's atmosphere or by human hands.
Scientists will use a variety of techniques to study the dust, including electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. They hope to find clues about the asteroid's composition, formation, and history.
