Amino Acids Formed in Freezing Space on Bennu, Hinting at Life's Beginnings Beyond Water
NASA’s analysis of asteroid Bennu’s samples shows amino acids formed in frigid conditions long before the asteroid’s current orbit, with 14 of Earth’s 20 standard amino acids detected and evidence that left‑ and right‑handed forms carry different nitrogen isotopes. This challenges the idea that liquid water is always needed for amino‑acid formation, suggesting prebiotic chemistry could occur in more environments and expanding potential habitats for life in the universe, while signaling new questions about chirality in biology.
