JOURNAL ARTICLE

Bennu may be from an ocean world.

  • Published In: New Scientist, 2024, v. 261, n. 3477. P. 8 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Howgego, Joshua 3 of 3

Abstract

A sample from the asteroid Bennu, brought back by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, suggests that it may have once been part of a small planet with conditions favorable for life to emerge. The sample contains structures that could provide clues about the origins of life. Analysis of the material reveals that most of the rock is made of clays, including minerals formed when rock from Earth's mantle is exposed to water. The sample also contains a rare calcium and magnesium-rich phosphate mineral found in the plumes of water on Saturn's moon Enceladus, which is considered a plausible location for life. The hypothesis is based on the analysis of the material, which has not yet been published. The sample from Bennu is the largest ever returned to Earth, weighing roughly twice the expected amount. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:New Scientist. 2024/02, Vol. 261, Issue 3477, p8
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Environmental Sciences
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0262-4079
  • DOI:10.1016/s0262-4079(24)00243-4
  • Accession Number:175349447
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