Keywords: Asteroid


Scientists detect full set of genetic building blocks in Ryugu samples

Scientists have identified all five canonical nucleobases, the molecular units that encode genetic information, in samples returned from the asteroid Ryugu. The findings, published on March 15 in Nature Astronomy, support the theory that carbon-rich asteroids delivered key chemical ingredients to early......

Nasa dart impact changed asteroid orbit around the sun, study finds

When NASA deliberately crashed a spacecraft into the asteroid moon Dimorphos in 2022, scientists quickly confirmed the collision shortened its orbit around its larger companion, Didymos. A new study now shows the impact also altered the path of the entire asteroid pair around the Sun, marking the first......

Scientists identify tryptophan on asteroid Bennu, shedding light on origins of life

Scientists have discovered tryptophan, a complex amino acid essential to life, in samples collected from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. This marks the first time tryptophan has been found in extraterrestrial materials, raising the total number of protein-forming amino acids detected......

UN planetary defence drill uses interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to test real world response

The United Nations has confirmed that interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is at the centre of a full scale planetary defence exercise designed to test how well the world can respond to a genuine cosmic threat in the future. Aimed at space policy analysts, planetary defence specialists and readers who follow......

Risk of "City Killer" Asteroid Impact Reduced to 0.001%

A football field-sized asteroid that had posed a threat to Earth in 2032 is now considered to have an extremely low chance of impact. The European Space Agency (ESA) reported that the risk of the asteroid, 2024 YR4, hitting Earth has dropped to just 0.001%. Just one week ago, the probability stood at......

Celestial Tributes: Moroccan Luminaries Honored in the Cosmos

In a remarkable testament to Morocco's contributions to astronomy and space science, a growing number of the nation's researchers and enthusiasts are finding their names etched among the stars. On August 22, 2024, Abdelkrim Boskri became the latest addition to this prestigious group, with asteroid......