Microorganisms Found in Rare Asteroid Sample Despite Precautions

A sample from the asteroid Ryugu, collected by Japan's Hayabusa2 mission, was found to be contaminated with terrestrial microorganisms, highlighting the challenges of preventing Earthly contamination in space samples. Despite stringent protocols, the sample, intended to be pristine, contained microbial life from Earth, complicating efforts to study the asteroid's original composition. This discovery underscores the difficulties in maintaining the purity of extraterrestrial materials, crucial for understanding the solar system's formation and the origins of life on Earth.