A chemist turned science writer, Victoria Corless completed her Ph.D. in organic synthesis at the University of Toronto and, ever the cliché, realized lab work was not something she wanted to do for the rest of her days.
A tiny fraction of the asteroid Bennu sample returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, shown in microscope images. The top-left pane shows a dark Bennu particle, about a millimeter long, with an outer crust of bright phosphateOn September 24, 2023, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft dropped a capsule to Earth containing pristine carbonaceous regolith collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.
"The presence and state of phosphates, along with other elements and compounds on Bennu, suggest a watery past for the asteroid," said Lauretta."Bennu potentially could have once been part of a wetter world. Although, this hypothesis requires further investigation.
Further analysis on the samples revealed the prevailing component of the regolith sample is magnesium-bearing phyllosilicates, primarily serpentine and smectite — types of rock typically found at mid-ocean ridges on Earth. A comparison of these serpentinites with their terrestrial counterparts provides possible insights into Bennu's geological past."Offering clues about the aqueous environment in which they originated," wrote the team.
Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Surprising Phosphate Finding in NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Asteroid SampleScientists have eagerly awaited the opportunity to dig into the 4.3-ounce (121.6-gram) pristine asteroid Bennu sample collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins,
Read more »
Surprising phosphate finding in NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sampleScientists have eagerly awaited the opportunity to dig into the 4.3-ounce (121.6-gram) pristine asteroid Bennu sample collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security—Regolith Explorer) mission since it was delivered to Earth last fall.
Read more »
Surprising phosphate finding in NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sampleEarly analysis of the asteroid Bennu sample returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed dust rich in carbon, nitrogen, and organic compounds, all of which are essential components for life as we know it. Dominated by clay minerals, particularly serpentine, the sample mirrors the type of rock found at mid-ocean ridges on Earth.
Read more »
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX unscathed after searing pass of sunMission engineers were confident NASA's OSIRIS-APEX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification—Apophis Explorer) spacecraft could weather its closest ever pass of the sun on Jan. 2, 2024.
Read more »
How NASA's OSIRIS-APEX asteroid probe survived its 1st close encounter with the sunSharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X skuthunur.
Read more »
Innovative Engineering Shields NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX During Close Encounter With the SunScience, Space and Technology News 2024
Read more »