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‘This might be the seeds of life’: Organic matter found on asteroid Ryugu could explain where life on Earth came from
By Robert Lea
( space.com )
published about 9 hours ago
Organic matter found in samples of asteroid Ryugu suggests that ancient comets may be responsible for bringing the ‘seeds of life’ to Earth.
- https://www.livescience.com/space/asteroids/this-might-be-the-seeds-of-life-organic-matter-found-on-asteroid-ryugu-could-explain-where-life-on-earth-came-from
(Main) the asteroid Ryugu. (Inset top) A melt splash from the surface of Ryugu (inset bottom) a CT slice of the melt showing voids. (Image credit: (Main) JAXA/ (Inse) Megumi Matsumoto et al.)
A detailed investigation of asteroid Ryugu samples has provided further evidence that the organic molecules which gave rise to life to our planet were brought here by ancient comets.
These space rock samples were returned to Earth by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission, which visited the spinning-top-like space rock Ryugu in 2018. Hayabusa2 spent around 18 months studying the asteroid and collecting surface material, which has proved to be a treasure trove of information about our solar system.
Ryugu, formally known as 162173 Ryugu, is a 2850-foot (870-meter) wide near-Earth asteroid that lacks a protective atmosphere. This means its surface is directly exposed to space and can gather interplanetary dust, which changes the asteroid’s surface composition when struck.
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Airplane-size asteroid 2024 BJ flies closer than the moon in orbit animation
Asteroid 2024 BJ’s closest approach to Earth will be about 220,000 miles (354,000 kilometers) way. The space rock is ~68 feet (21 meters) wide. Credit: Space.com | animation: NASA/JPL-Caltech | edited by [Steve Spaleta](https://twitter.com/stevespaleta)
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The team of scientists behind the new developments in the quest to find life’s origins found 5 to 20-micrometer-wide “melt splashes” created when cometary dust in particular pelted the surface of Ryugu. And within these melt splashes, the researchers found small carbonaceous materials similar to primitive organic matter.
“This organic matter might be the small seeds of life once delivered from space to Earth,” team member and Tohoku University Graduate School of Science assistant professor Megumi Matsumoto said in a statement.
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Comets tend to exist in wide orbits around the sun, which means they spend most of their time at the frigid outer edges of the solar system. But when they do sweep into the inner solar system, solar radiation heats their inner, icy material. That causes the material to transform straight into a gas, a process called sublimation.
As this gaseous material explodes from the comet, it carries with it some of the object’s surface material. Not only does this create the characteristic tails and auras, or “comas,” of comets, but it also leaves trails of cometary dust around the sun. When Earth passes through these trails, we witness meteor shows as the dust fragments burn up in our planet’s atmosphere.
This cometary material is far more likely to make it to the surface of atmosphere-less bodies like Ryugu, where it can be preserved, however. Thus, studying those dusty remnants on the Hayabusa2 samples could reveal clues about the material in the early solar system.
The melt splashes studied by the team were created when the asteroid’s surface material was struck by cometary dust, with the two materials melting and mixing together during impact-caused heating and eventually cooling off.
The spongy carbonaceous materials found in the Ryugu melts differ chemically from organic matter usually found in cometary material because they lack oxygen and nitrogen. This could, however, hint at how the material was formed in the first place.
“We propose that the carbonaceous materials formed from cometary organic matter via the evaporation of volatiles, such as nitrogen and oxygen, during the impact-induced heating,” Matsumoto said. “This suggests that cometary matter was transported to the near-Earth region from the outer solar system.”
Sealed with the melts as further evidence of their origin are tiny voids caused when the impacts released water vapor from materials on Ryugu’s surface; this water was captured by the impact heated matter.
“Our 3D CT imaging and chemical analyses showed that the melt splashes consist mainly of silicate glasses with voids and small inclusions of spherical iron sulfides,” Matsumoto added. “The chemical compositions of the melt splashes suggest that Ryugu’s hydrous silicates mixed with cometary dust.”
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Matsumoto and the team are continuing to examine Ryugu samples collected by Hayabusa2 in the hope of discovering more melts that may hold within them evidence of cometary dust strikes.
The hope is that that will deliver more insight into the transportation of primordial organic material to the space around Earth over 4 billion years ago prior to the emergence of life.
The team’s research is published in the journal Science Advances.
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Bird flu: How can the poultry sector ensure global supply?
26-01 | Market trends/analysis | News
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Global poultry farming faces one of the biggest challenges in its history due to a prolonged and widespread avian influenza pandemic. Ricardo Santin, president of ABPA, took over the International Poultry Council in the face of this challenge. We asked for his thoughts…
Avian influenza has already decimated hundreds of flocks worldwide, generated trading barriers, and, therefore, threatens the global supply of one of the most accessible proteins.
Ricardo Santin recently assumed the presidency of the International Poultry Council with the challenge of guaranteeing the international supply of poultry products. The executive is a well known reference in the sector in Brazil and also holds the position of president of the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), where he has worked since its foundation.
Perhaps the success of the national poultry industry also helped lead Santin to the leadership of the International Poultry Council. Brazil is already the second-largest producer and largest poultry exporter and has never recorded cases of the disease on commercial farms.
Poultry World spoke to Santin to find out more…
Santin, what is it like to be the first Brazilian to preside over the International Poultry Council?
It is a great honor to be there at the International Poultry Council representing the global poultry industry, which is the second most consumed protein in the world. Everyone already knows that, according to FAO and USDA projections, chicken will be the most consumed protein shortly as it is one of the most accessible.ALSO READ: BRICS expansion increases grip on poultry market
Being there with 27 countries and 50 of the largest industries in the sector, which represent 80% of production, is an honor and a great responsibility. Especially for continuing the good work that was done by Robin Horel and Jim Sumner, one from the US and the other from Canada, who preceded me.
The objective is to strengthen the institution, and to reinforce its presence as the voice of the poultry industry in the world.
What does it mean to keep up the good work?
We managed to build virtual working groups, in addition to holding an annual meeting that this year will be in Argentina from 6-8 May. In these working groups, we are comunicating about trading, the responsible use of antimicrobials, and topics that are common to the sector all over the world.
Debates cross borders with everyone focused on improving production. For example, the issue of avian influenza banned the trade in genetics. That is my priority: moving forward with regional compartmentalisation to ensure that the poultry industry around the globe does not run out of genetic material.
What are your other priorities?
The first is to strengthen the image of the International Poultry Council and, later on, attract more members. We will try to seek out more member countries and companies, as well strengthen the International Poultry Council’s presence with local governments.ALSO READ: Brazil renews poultry export highs in 2023
The International Poultry Council manages to find an average of expectations amongst its members, organising events and, sometimes, taking action all over entire world. We need to have strength with governments.
Some examples are the positions on avian influenza or the case study on the prudential use of antimicrobials. That study has been practically adopted as standard because we have speaking positions within the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Extraordinary situations may require outstanding measures. What more can be done to combat avian influenza and ensure healthy poultry meat for the entire planet?
First, avian influence does not transfer to meat, so the meat remains healthy. But many countries still block international commerce due to the precautionary principle.
The second point is to ensure that the world learns to live with this virus. Following technical recommendations, it means segregating only the regions where the disease is present to guarantee supply to all parts of the world. That’s what we want to do with the practically. Let’s work so that there is no trade interruption, maintaining people’s food security.
How is the acceptance of compartmentalisation by regions?
Brazil recognises compartmentalisation in France, Canada, and the US on genetic material, for example. We have reciprocity under OMSA compartment rules. That is why we continue to import genetic material even from countries that have had a case of bird flu in their commercial production.ALSO READ: Egg farmers shun avian influenza vaccination strategy
France, for example, exports egg-laying genetic material to Brazil, but has had cases in wild birds in the north. There’s no reason for us to block it. We must build a vision of solidarity and complementarity amongst countries. The world cannot have borders for food. I have this saying.
Japan had blocked exports from Brazilian Espírito Santo state and reopened. What happened?
Countries are accepting this type of compartmentalisation. In the case of Japan, we had a case of bird flu in a backyard production in the state of Espírito Santo. Japan understood that it is the same as a wild bird case. In other words, trade no longer closes.
In the case of Brazil, we are already working with many markets. More than half of those who import Brazilian products have already recognised the possibility of a zone or compartment with a radius of 10 km.
Can the sector help mitigate the risk, also for backyard production?
The entire sector already helps through training people in regions where companies are. We have cases where companies called their neighbours and provided materials or helped to build small and closed aviaries. Ideally, every producer should have at least sources of treated water, not lakes, for example. That’s what we’re doing: training campaigns to try to prevent it.Watch on demand: Avian influenza summit webinar
Why did other countries have the problem in wild birds first and then in commercial farms and Brazil did not?
It is due to several factors, but the first is very high biosecurity work in the farm environment. In addition, very high dietary care is pivotal.
The third point is that Brazil has bird migration mainly in coastal areas, where there is no significant production. In other words, international migration routes do not bypass our production areas. They are far from production.
The last reason, and perhaps the most important, is that we don’t collect water in open places. Our poultry houses always receive treated water. That eliminates the risk of sick wild birds coming to a pond and livestock using that water. It’s a simple thing, but it’s a great transmission vector. We already did this naturally as a standard before the outbreaks.
In addition, Brazil adopts the total ban on visits to farms and strengthening the training of employees with simple measures such as washing hands and changing clothes.
Wisconsin Teen Babysitter Arrested in Connection to Brutal Killing of Family Dog
The chihuahua had been hidden under blankets and stuffed animals, and appeared to have been stabbed
Published 01/29/24 07:44 AM ET|Updated 7 hr ago
An 18-year-old Wisconsin babysitter is accused of brutally murdering her longtime client’s dog.
The family, who lives in the Milwaukee suburb of Sussex, was devastated when they came home Thursday to find that their dog was missing after the babysitter was at the house, local station WISN reported.
But on Friday afternoon, they found Batman, their 8-year-old chihuahua, dead under a bundle of blankets and stuffed animals. WISN reported that he appeared to have stab wounds and a bag over his head.
Police interviewed the 18-year-old suspect and arrested her on suspicion of cruelty to animals. Her name hasn’t been released because she has not yet been formally charged.
The family told police they’d had Batman since he was a puppy. They had originally reported him missing to Lost Dogs of Wisconsin, a non-profit that shares information about missing dogs on Facebook.
“That’s kind of scary to think that there’s somebody who would be willing to do that,” neighbor Scott Calmes told WISN. “I can’t imagine why anyone would want to kill a small dog.”
The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.
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