tech
March 22, 2026
We keep finding the raw material of DNA in asteroids—what's it telling us?
This week’s result is just the latest in a growing collection of discoveries.
TL;DR
- All four DNA bases (A, T, C, G) have been confirmed in samples from the asteroid Ryugu, resolving a previous detection mystery.
- The discovery builds upon earlier findings of nucleic acid bases in meteorites and asteroid samples dating back to 2011.
- The new research used more sample material and higher sensitivity tests to detect the remaining bases.
- A correlation was found between the relative levels of purines and pyrimidines and the amount of ammonia present in the asteroids.
- This finding may provide insights into the prebiotic chemistry that produced nucleotides in space.
- Understanding these reactions could be crucial for understanding how the raw materials for life reached Earth and for the search for extraterrestrial life.
Continue reading the original article