The Hayabusa 2 mission, which launched in December 2014, successfully retrieved 5.4 grams of material from the asteroid Ryugu in February 2019, completing a remarkable round-trip journey of 3.2 billion miles.

A recent study published in Nature Astronomy analyzed these grains, providing further evidence for the theory that essential life chemistry was delivered to Earth via asteroids.

Researchers believe that asteroids and comets served as a prebiotic feedstock, importing crucial chemical ingredients necessary for life to develop on our planet.

Despite their small size compared to Earth, the materials from asteroids like Ryugu could have been sufficient to initiate biological processes.

The research focused on identifying hydrated organic elements and compounds in the samples, suggesting that they originated from beyond the solar system's snow line.

The study revealed the presence of hydrated ammonium, magnesium, and phosphorus in the samples, which are collectively referred to as 'HAMP' grains, indicating their formation in deep space.

The ammonium found in these HAMP grains is particularly significant for life, as it contributes nitrogen and hydrogen when it breaks down.

Notably, the phosphorus to carbon ratio in the Ryugu samples matches that found in earthly biomass, hinting at a connection between asteroid chemistry and the early conditions on Earth.

To conduct this analysis, scientists from the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale in France developed a miniaturized infrared spectral microscope, designed to prevent contamination while studying grains as small as a few hundred microns.

Understanding the chemical makeup of life is crucial, as the human body comprises 60 different chemical elements, with 96.2% of its composition made up of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen.

Once life begins, it has the potential to spread and proliferate, reflecting a Darwinian process of growth that could have been kickstarted by these cosmic deliveries.

Ryugu, a 0.55 mile-long C-type asteroid, is rich in carbon and represents about 75% of known asteroids, making it a significant subject of study in understanding the origins of life.