Scientists Study Asteroid Bennu Samples To Uncover Solar System’s Origins And Water Origins

Researchers from Curtin University, as part of an international team, are studying samples collected from the 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu to understand the origins of our solar system. These samples were brought to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, which completed its seven-year journey in September last year. The mission aimed to explore the asteroid Bennu, believed to have existed before the birth of the solar system. The findings have been published in Meteoritics and Planetary Science.

The samples contain dark particles ranging in size from dust to 3.5 cm, along with lighter particles and stones that exhibit brighter material in veins and crusts. Associate Professor Nick Timms, part of the OSIRIS-REx Sample Analysis Team, noted that Bennu is one of the most chemically primitive materials known, with a composition similar to the visible surface of the sun. This suggests that Bennu underwent different processes than planets, altering the abundance of certain elements compared to the sun.

The analysis also revealed hydrated phyllosilicates, minerals that form in the presence of water, and carbon-rich materials. These findings suggest that asteroids like Bennu may have delivered water and essential building blocks for life to Earth. Additionally, the team discovered magnesium-sodium phosphates, indicating chemical environments possibly involving water on Bennu.

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