Overview
- Researchers report the full suite of nucleobases in Ryugu material returned by JAXA’s Hayabusa2 mission.
- About 20 milligrams of sand were processed using water and hydrochloric acid to extract organic compounds.
- Amino acids and urea were also identified in the same samples, indicating a diverse organic inventory.
- Comparable molecules have been detected in NASA’s Bennu samples and in certain meteorites, reducing the likelihood of terrestrial contamination.
- The peer-reviewed study, published March 17, interprets the organics as products of early solar-system chemistry that could have been supplied to Earth.