Two years ago, NASA sent a mission to the near-earth asteroid Bennu to gather and return a sample of its rocky surface.
Three new studies of that sample are providing a glimpse into the early formation of the solar system.
About 80% of the asteroid is made up of water-bearing clay, meaning there was a period where the asteroid had liquid water.
That water likely came from one of its parent asteroids, as Bennu likely formed when two asteroids collided.
The research also showed Bennu was composed of materials that came from different parts of the early solar system, instead of one local spot.
University of Arizona researcher Tom Zega could provide clues on how life came to earth.
“The return sample is chock full of amino acids and when we look at the detailed makeup of those amino acids, we find 15 of the 20 nucleotides that are necessary for forming the basic amino acids as we understand them that are necessary for life," Zega said.
Zega said further research will look into how these bodies formed around the solar system.
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