NASA’s recent discovery from the asteroid Bennu has brought fresh insights into the origins of life on Earth. During the OSIRIS-REx mission, researchers found tryptophan, a key amino acid essential for producing serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood regulation.
Tryptophan is one of the nine amino acids our bodies can’t produce. If confirmed, this would be the first time it’s detected in an extraterrestrial sample. This finding supports the idea that space rocks might have delivered vital ingredients for life to our early planet. It suggests we might have underestimated their role in our origins.
Angel Mojarro, a geochemist at NASA, and his team emphasize that their research shows prebiotic organic materials might form in space and eventually reach Earth through comet and asteroid impacts. They analyzed samples from Bennu and focused on amino acids and nucleobases. These molecules are essential for life as we know it.
Interestingly, Bennu samples contained all five common nucleobases, unlike samples from asteroid Ryugu, which had just one. The team verified the presence of 14 amino acids previously detected, and the faint signal for tryptophan was notable, suggesting its extraterrestrial roots.
Tryptophan plays a crucial role in our brain function, aiding in serotonin and melatonin production. It’s vital for well-being, and low levels are linked to depression and anxiety. We acquire it through foods like poultry, fish, dairy, and nuts. However, it’s delicate, making it hard to survive a meteorite’s fiery descent to Earth. This could be why it hasn’t been found in meteorite samples until now.
The careful collection process of space samples protects fragile materials like tryptophan, hinting that there might be more undiscovered prebiotic ingredients lost in space.
Mojarro’s research indicates that various processes, especially those involving water, are responsible for creating complex molecules in Bennu. This diversity points to a rich environment where life’s building blocks can form, offering exciting directions for future research.
As the study highlights, we need more targeted research to confirm the origin of tryptophan and other molecules from Bennu and beyond. Continued sample return missions from different planetary bodies will be essential for deepening our understanding of cosmochemistry and astrobiology.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. For more information, you can check out the original study here.
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