Field Museum curator explores ancient asteroid sample

In 2023, a remarkable celestial event occurred as NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission returned a sample from Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid. The spacecraft, launched in 2016, arrived at the asteroid in 2018, successfully collecting fragments that represent some of the oldest materials in the solar system. The Field Museum in Chicago has become the temporary home for a tiny piece of this pristine asteroid, allowing scientists to study the sample in conditions free from contamination by Earth’s atmosphere. This sample, a small black fragment, holds significant implications for our understanding of the origins of life on our planet. Dr. Philipp Heck, the Field Museum curator, expressed immense excitement at the opportunity to handle this specimen. He described the moment he received the vial containing the fragment as amazing and a long-awaited experience. The sample is particularly noteworthy due to its delicate nature, requiring careful handling during research. University of Chicago graduate student Yuke Zheng, part of the OSIRIS-REx sample analysis team, is using advanced technology like the museum's scanning electron microscope to examine the asteroid fragment closely. The rich dark color of the sample stands out and presents unique characteristics for study. This scientific endeavor is significant because it marks the first U.S. mission dedicated to collecting and returning a sample from an asteroid, a feat achieved after decades of planning and execution. Scientists believe materials like those found in Bennu are critical to understanding the building blocks of Earth and potentially even the ingredients for life itself. As Dr. Heck noted, the fragment serves as a time capsule, bridging the present to the early solar system, approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The ongoing analysis of the sample poses exciting possibilities for our understanding of space and life’s origins. The implications of this research reach far beyond scientific curiosity; it touches on fundamental questions regarding our existence and the universe's history. Insights gained from studying Bennu may enhance our knowledge about not just the formation of Earth but also the potential for life elsewhere in the cosmos. As scientists delve deeper into the characteristics of this asteroid fragment, they gather data that could influence both planetary science and our worldview, creating a profound connection with our cosmic history.