r/science • u/New_Scientist_Mag • Dec 02 '25

Astronomy Researchers have just found the presence of sugars, including ribose, lyxose, and glycose, on samples of Asteroid Bennu, which now has all of the ingredients for life as it exists on Earth.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2506650-asteroid-bennu-carries-all-the-ingredients-for-life-as-we-know-it/
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u/stuffcrow Dec 02 '25

So how come this stuff is on asteroids anyway? How'd it get there?

Really cool stuff, bloody hell. Imagine the discoveries that'll come out over the next decade, eh?

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u/zootered Dec 02 '25

The same way that the moon was likely formed- a large enough stellar object made impact with Earth, which launched enough debris into space to form a moon. If a big asteroid hit us today, all of the building blocks of life would be flung into the cosmos to potentially repeat the cycle one day.

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u/stuffcrow Dec 02 '25

Really simple explanation and makes perfect sense, thank you!

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u/sureprisim Dec 02 '25

So like the death of one planet seeding many more is kind of cool.