NASA Asteroid Sample Reveals Shocking Origin

First, initial examinations in October showed experts that the Bennu sample contained rich deposits of carbon, an element essential to life.

Then, progressive analyzes revealed even more surprising nuances in the asteroid sample: the existence of magnesium sodium phosphate, a compound capable of dissolving in water, vital for biochemistry.

This led the researchers to the exciting hypothesis that Bennu may have broken off from a primitive ocean world, which no longer inhabits our solar system. A fascinating detail: the asteroid sample consists mainly of clay minerals, particularly serpentine.

This would make the space rock remarkably similar to rocks found on Earth, particularly on mid-ocean ridges deep beneath the seas and where mantle and water interact.