Asteroid Bennu May Be a Fragment of an Ancient Ocean

The first detailed analysis of samples from asteroid Bennu suggests this space rock may once have been part of a water-rich world—possibly even a fragment of an ancient ocean. Collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission from 101955 Bennu, the material contains minerals that typically form in the presence of liquid water. Scientists have also identified carbon-rich compounds, strengthening the idea that early asteroids could have carried both water and the building blocks of life across the solar system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices