Key Findings: NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission brought back 122 grams of asteroid Bennu samples that contained amino acids, DNA building blocks, and signs of ancient water. Scientists identified 16,000 organic molecules and unique salt minerals, indicating widespread distribution of life's building blocks in the early solar system.
Significance: This discovery presents the most compelling evidence to date that asteroids could have introduced Earth to the fundamental elements of life. The results imply that comparable elements might also be present on other celestial bodies, which could transform our comprehension of life's beginnings in the cosmos.