What did scientists discover in the asteroid Ryugu samples returned by the Hayabusa2 mission?
JAXA scientist Hirotaka Sawada was almost speechless with surprise when examining the Hayabusa2 capsule's contents, finding not only the expected dust particles but also larger grains and pebbles from asteroid Ryugu. The dark samples, resembling coffee grounds or black sesame seeds, include material from both the surface and subsurface of the asteroid. Scientists are particularly interested in studying the organic materials within these pristine samples, which could provide information from billions of years ago, unaffected by space radiation. They hope to learn how organic materials were distributed in the solar system and whether they are related to the development of life on Earth.
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Excitement in the Lab: First Look at the Capsule
WION·8 months ago