The rocks that have reached Earth from the asteroid Bennu are currently being examined by scientists in the laboratory. This asteroid, which had a fraction of a chance to impact Earth and bring about the end of the world, has become the subject of NASA’s research mission called OSIRIS-REx. After many years of effort, the container with the collected sample has finally been opened. Now scientists are preparing to dismantle these rocks almost atom by atom to understand their structure and discover information related to the beginnings of our Solar System and the possible origins of life on Earth.
A high-resolution image of the sample container has been released by NASA. Currently, fragments of Bennu rocks are in a hermetic and clean laboratory space, where they will be thoroughly examined. Previous analyses have indicated the presence of water and carbon in the collected samples.
Initial plans aimed to retrieve 60 grams of material from the asteroid, but it turned out that scientists have much more work ahead. In addition to the collected samples, an equal amount of material was found on the devices used to “scrape” the asteroid. Some of these samples will be used for research over the next two years, while the rest will be preserved for the future to enable analysis with newer methods.
Crucially, the asteroid Bennu is approximately 4.5 billion years old and may contain information about the beginnings of our Solar System, as well as clues about how life ended up on Earth. This discovery may provide a new perspective on the history and evolution of our world.
Although scientists already have initial results from the analysis, the process of studying and interpreting these unique rocks will take many more years. In the meantime, we can enjoy the close-up views of the incredible graphics available on the NASA website, which showcase fragments of Bennu. This is just the beginning of uncovering the secrets hidden in these extraordinary samples.
FAQ section based on the main topics and information presented in the article:
1. What is the name of NASA’s research mission focused on asteroid Bennu?
NASA’s research mission focused on asteroid Bennu is called OSIRIS-REx.
2. What information have scientists discovered so far about the rock samples from Bennu?
Previous analyses indicate the presence of water and carbon in the collected samples from Bennu.
3. How much material was collected from Bennu during the mission?
Initially, the plan was to collect 60 grams of material from the asteroid, but an equal amount was found on the sampling devices.
4. What are the plans for future research on these samples?
Some of the collected samples will be used for research over the next two years, while the rest will be preserved for the future to enable analysis with newer methods.
5. What information can asteroid Bennu potentially hold?
Asteroid Bennu is approximately 4.5 billion years old and may contain information about the beginnings of our Solar System, as well as clues about how life ended up on Earth.
Suggested Related Links:
– NASA – Official NASA website
The source of the article is from the blog mivalle.net.ar