4 ms·

Not the first time they found amino acids on a asteroid, but great news nonetheless. For example the Murchison Meteorite had over 70 different aminoacids found

Not the first time they found amino acids on a asteroid, but great news nonetheless. For example the Murchison Meteorite had over 70 different aminoacids found on it while parts of the meteorite being dated as old as 7b years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murchison_meteorite#Nucleobases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murchison_meteorite#Nucleobase...

jasonlotito 4y ago
The article mentions this already (that meteorites on earth have been found with amino acids). The important difference here is the in the Murchison case, it was already exposed to Earth's atmosphere and environment, so you couldn't be sure where the amino acids came from.
- TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
  Can amino acids survive the intense heat on entry into the atmosphere?
  - arbitrage 4y ago
    Sometimes!
  - Knufferlbert 4y ago
    Apparently it's thought that meteorites hitting the ground freeze water around them after a bit. They get heated up, but it's pretty short, so the bulk of it is "space temperature" only the surface is heating. And a lot of the stuff that heats up is ablated. (depending on size) Unless the stuff is on the surface of the meteorite it's probably fine.
- vixen99 4y ago
  Yes, but the fact that thirty three of these Murchison amino acids are 'unknown in natural materials other than carbonaceous chondrites' gives pause for thought. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11542462/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11542462/
  - mushbino 4y ago
    What does this mean exactly? Or what could it mean?
    - turndown 4y ago
      That meteor is either proof of pre-Earth life, since those amino acids aren’t known to exist in rock otherwise or proof that the relevant amino acids can be created by an abiotic process. If you don’t want to believe the meteor has been contaminated since it hit the Earth.
bufferoverflow 4y ago
> For example the Murchison Meteorite had over 70 different aminoacids found on it In it. Not "on it". A very important distinction. You'd expect to find all kinds of bio stuff on pretty much any solid object.

jasonlotito 4y ago

The article mentions this already (that meteorites on earth have been found with amino acids). The important difference here is the in the Murchison case, it was already exposed to Earth's atmosphere and environment, so you couldn't be sure where the amino acids came from.

TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
Can amino acids survive the intense heat on entry into the atmosphere?
- arbitrage 4y ago
  Sometimes!
- Knufferlbert 4y ago
  Apparently it's thought that meteorites hitting the ground freeze water around them after a bit. They get heated up, but it's pretty short, so the bulk of it is "space temperature" only the surface is heating. And a lot of the stuff that heats up is ablated. (depending on size) Unless the stuff is on the surface of the meteorite it's probably fine.
vixen99 4y ago
Yes, but the fact that thirty three of these Murchison amino acids are 'unknown in natural materials other than carbonaceous chondrites' gives pause for thought. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11542462/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11542462/
- mushbino 4y ago
  What does this mean exactly? Or what could it mean?
  - turndown 4y ago
    That meteor is either proof of pre-Earth life, since those amino acids aren’t known to exist in rock otherwise or proof that the relevant amino acids can be created by an abiotic process. If you don’t want to believe the meteor has been contaminated since it hit the Earth.

bufferoverflow 4y ago

> For example the Murchison Meteorite had over 70 different aminoacids found on it In it. Not "on it". A very important distinction. You'd expect to find all kinds of bio stuff on pretty much any solid object.