RNA base found in asteroid Ryugu strengthens theory of 'alien' origins of life on Earth

A new research on the asteroid Ryugu has revealed building blocks of life in the charcoal-like particles on it. Scientists have found that materials on it contain the chemical compound uracil, one of the building blocks of RNA. The compound was found in just 10 milligrammes of material from Ryugu. The latest report makes the theory of life on Earth coming from outer space more credible. Scientists believe that life reached Earth when asteroids crashed into Earth.

The Hayabusa-2 probe has been analysing approximately 5.4 grams of rocks and dust gathered from the asteroid Ryugu. The mission was launched in 2014 and returned to Earth's orbit in late 2020 with a capsule containing the sample from the asteroid that is some 300 million kilometres away.

Several international research teams have been working on the particles and many interesting revelations have also been made, including that some of life's building blocks, amino acids, may have been formed in space. The first drop of water discovered in a near-Earth asteroid was also found in the samples.

The new research was published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.

DNA acts like a genetic blueprint, while single-strand RNA is an all-important messenger, converting the instructions contained in DNA for implementation. Like DNA, it is made up of bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil.

Some of these bases have earlier been found in other asteroids that landed on Earth as meteorites. However, there was always uncertainty over whether the chemicals came from outer space or were contaminated when they landed.

"Since every meteorite has landed on the surface of the Earth where microorganisms are ubiquitously present everywhere, it always makes the interpretation on the origin of such biologically important molecules in meteorites more complex," said Yasuhiro Oba, associate professor at Hokkaido University and an author of the research.

(With inputs from agencies)

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