Cosmic DNA: Five nucleobases found on asteroid Ryugu reshape views on life's origins
TL;DR
New analysis of asteroid Ryugu samples detected all five canonical nucleobases—adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine and uracil—showing DNA/RNA building blocks may be widespread in the solar system and could have seeded Earth’s prebiotic chemistry, with Bennu and meteorites providing supporting comparisons.
- All 5 'letters' of DNA found on an asteroid speeding through our solar system. What do they tell us about the origins of life? Live Science
- A complete set of canonical nucleobases in the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu Nature
- All 5 fundamental units of life’s genetic code were just discovered in an asteroid sample The Conversation
- Ryugu asteroid samples contain all DNA and RNA building blocks, bolstering origin-of-life theories Phys.org
- The asteroid Ryugu has all of the main ingredients for life New Scientist
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