Tryptophan is an amino acid that plays a role in making us feel sleepy after eating turkey. Recently, scientists discovered it on Bennu, a small asteroid that visits Earth every six years. This exciting finding comes from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, which landed on Bennu, collected samples in 2020, and returned them to Earth in 2023.
Research shows that studying Bennu is crucial. Its composition can tell us about the early solar system and how life might have begun. Scientists have already identified 14 of the 20 amino acids essential for life in earlier studies of Bennu and other celestial bodies.
A new analysis suggests that tryptophan has now been added to that list. José Aponte, an astrochemist at NASA, mentions that finding tryptophan is significant because it’s one of the more complex amino acids and has never before been found in meteorites. This discovery bolsters the idea that the ingredients for life could have come from space.
Bennu is a fascinating object. It measures about one-third of a mile wide and is believed to have formed billions of years ago in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Currently, it has been orbiting near Earth for about 1.75 million years, and there’s a slight chance it could collide with our planet in the year 2182.
One remarkable point about Bennu is that its material predates the solar system. The elements found in Bennu were born from ancient supernovas, showcasing a rich history of chemical processes. This makes it a unique time capsule for understanding early solar system chemistry.
According to Angel Mojarro, a researcher involved in the new study, Bennu serves as a “jigsaw puzzle” where scientists can piece together the building blocks of life. It has revealed 33 amino acids so far, with tryptophan being a notable addition. Some of these amino acids are essential for life on Earth, meaning we must obtain them through our diet.
Still, more tests are needed to confirm the presence of tryptophan in the Bennu samples. George Cody, a scientist not involved in the study, supports the idea that the molecules are genuinely from the asteroid. He explains that the pristine state of the Bennu samples makes them more reliable for study compared to meteorites that have entered Earth’s atmosphere.
Dante Lauretta, a coauthor of the study, emphasizes the importance of these samples in showing the diversity of organic compounds found in space. He believes that asteroids like Bennu played a crucial role in delivering essential building blocks of life to Earth.
This research opens up exciting discussions about our origins. Kate Freeman, a professor at Penn State, highlights that discovering tryptophan adds to our knowledge of space-derived compounds, suggesting that asteroids may have delivered life’s building blocks to early Earth.
Overall, this work reinforces the value of space missions. Sara Russell, a planetary scientist, points out that while meteorites are helpful for research, pristine samples like those from Bennu provide crucial insights.
The emergence of tryptophan in this study adds weight to the idea that the early solar system produced many of the basic ingredients needed for life. Finding these ingredients in space might help us understand how life began not only on Earth but possibly elsewhere in the universe too.
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amino acids, Bennu, essential amino acid, solar system, NASA, Tryptophan, George Cody
