Berkeley Lab Energy Technologies Area

What can a returned asteroid sample tell us about the origins of our solar system? A lot, if you have the right tools.

Researchers including scientists from Berkeley Lab Energy Technologies Area have published a groundbreaking study in PNAS analyzing samples from asteroid Bennu, returned by the NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration OSIRIS-REx mission. Using analytical capabilities uniquely available at Berkeley Lab, the team found that organic matter and minerals on Bennu exist in compositionally and spatially distinct chemical pockets at the nanoscale.

This tells us that water once flowed through Bennu’s parent body along restricted pathways, preserving delicate nitrogen-rich organic compounds and leaving behind a diverse mix of carbonates and organosulfur species.

Also, this finding shows that fragile organic molecules can survive the chaotic, and harsh environment of a primitive asteroid. It’s a truly exciting finding that is helping us understand the diversity of aqueous-based chemical processes in the outer solar system.

🔗 Read the full study here:

Nanoscale infrared spectroscopy reveals complex organic–mineral assemblages in asteroid Bennu | PNAS Asteroid Bennu preserves primitive material from the early solar system, and returned samples allow direct examination of how organics and minerals...

“FORUM-AI aims to be the first full-stack, agentic system for materials science research and discovery. It will help scientists at every step of energy materials research.” — Anubhav Jain, principal investigator, Berkeley Lab Energy Technologies Area

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