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Space
Space
Science
Keith Cooper

Building block of life found in sample from asteroid Ryugu

dark rocks in a white container

One of the four nucleobases of RNA has been discovered in samples retrieved from the asteroid Ryugu, providing the strongest evidence yet that the organic building blocks for life on Earth came from space.

In December 2020, Hayabusa2, a mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), delivered by capsule and parachute 0.19 ounces (5.4 grams) of asteroid material from Ryugu to expectantly waiting scientists on Earth. 

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