Trending Now - DNA Building Blocks Discovered on Asteroid Ryugu
WHO:
Researchers from Japan, including Toshiki Koga from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.
The study published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
WHAT:
The samples from asteroid Ryugu contain the five building blocks of DNA and RNA: adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil.
Ammonia was also discovered in the samples.
The findings suggest that nucleobases were widespread in the early solar system and support the hypothesis that carbonaceous asteroids transported them to Earth.
A consortium of bacteria identified in Germany can digest phthalate esters (PAEs) when working together, breaking down diethyl phthalate (DEP) within 24 hours at 30 degrees Celsius.
The consortium can break down DEP at concentrations not exceeding 888 milligrams per liter.
WHERE:
Asteroid Ryugu, located 180 million miles away from Earth.
The study on bacteria was conducted in Germany.
WHEN:
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft returned samples from Ryugu in 2020.
The study on the bacteria was published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.
Hubble Space Telescope captured images of Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) between November 8th and November 10th, 2025.
WHY:
The discovery of DNA building blocks on Ryugu may help understand how the ingredients for life reached Earth billions of years ago.
The research on bacteria aims to find solutions for plastic pollution and its harmful effects on health and wildlife.
HOW:
The Ryugu samples were analyzed for clues about early solar system conditions.
The bacteria were identified through DNA sequencing and were found to break down PAEs through a cooperative process known as cross-feeding.
(UPDATED March 22, 2026 01:37 UTC)
Researchers from Japan, including Toshiki Koga from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, have published a study in the journal Nature Astronomy revealing that samples from asteroid Ryugu contain the five building blocks of DNA and RNA, along with ammonia. These findings suggest that nucleobases were widespread in the early solar system and support the idea that carbonaceous asteroids may have transported these essential ingredients for life to Earth billions of years ago. In related research published in Frontiers in Microbiology, a consortium of bacteria identified in Germany can effectively break down diethyl phthalate, a common plastic pollutant, within 24 hours, highlighting potential solutions for addressing plastic pollution and its impacts on health and wildlife.