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RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

cnn.com

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Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#81

Post by exyi »

JPLeRouzic wrote: post #6

They didn't detect RNA which would be extraordinary. What they detected is Uracil, one of the molecules that is found in RNA. They didn't found any other nucleotides. " Other DNA/RNA nucleobases were not positively identified in both the A0106 and C0107 samples. This does not necessarily exclude a possibility that those nucleobases are present in the Ryugu samples, but just they may be below the detection limit under…

If it had 200 nucleotides you'd know for sure it's a contamination. RNA isn't very stable (in our conditions, I have no idea how it does at 3 Kelvin, blasted with radiation for a million years...)

Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#82

Post by JumpCrisscross »

JPLeRouzic wrote: post #6

They didn't detect RNA which would be extraordinary. What they detected is Uracil, one of the molecules that is found in RNA. They didn't found any other nucleotides. " Other DNA/RNA nucleobases were not positively identified in both the A0106 and C0107 samples. This does not necessarily exclude a possibility that those nucleobases are present in the Ryugu samples, but just they may be below the detection limit under…

> if we find RNA, it would be very indicative of DNA

Or evidence for the RNA world hypothesis [1].

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNA_world

Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#83

Post by eimrine »

wheelerof4te wrote: post #43
JPLeRouzic wrote: post #6

They didn't detect RNA which would be extraordinary. What they detected is Uracil, one of the molecules that is found in RNA. They didn't found any other nucleotides. " Other DNA/RNA nucleobases were not positively identified in both the A0106 and C0107 samples. This does not necessarily exclude a possibility that those nucleobases are present in the Ryugu samples, but just they may be below the detection limit under…

I would guess that whatever organic molecule was on that asteroid, it died off from the intense radiation in space.

What kind of intense radiation is needed to kill a molecule of teflon?

Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#84

Post by JumpCrisscross »

ianai wrote: post #39
sandworm101 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its isn't evidence against, but it is evidence that panspermia is less necessary than previously thought. Should we detect life out there somewhere, the fact that these compounds are more universal decreased the likelihood that that detected life is related to us through panspermia. The fact that life in two places uses RNA no longer means that it must be directly related to the RNA/DNA-based life on earth.

Way too early in the science needed to characterize as evidence for or against panspermia or much else. We need much much more work like this.

> too early in the science needed to characterize as evidence for or against panspermia or much else

Every organic compound that spontaneously develops under natural conditions is an argument against the necessity of panspermia.

Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#86

Post by fnordpiglet »

coldtea wrote: post #69
fnordpiglet wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While we are probably really good programmers, surprisingly enough these “scientists” seem to know how to do their job without our guidance: https://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com/articles/10.118...

They can also always be too confident in having done their job perfectly - and they can be that with or without our guidance.

It’s pretty clear if you read the paper they are not confident they did their job perfectly, and have erected guard rails around everything to cap the maximal contamination and established tests for assessing the extent of contamination exploiting assuming there is going to be contamination.

Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#87

Post by chatmasta »

runjake wrote: post #71
jasonlotito wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They didn't detect RNA which would be extraordinary. Correct, and they don't say that. They found an RNA compound. Uracil, one of the molecules that is found in RNA. Not sure of the purpose of this comment to regurgitate what's found in the article itself, which goes into greater detail.

Most of us are laymen to the subject. Please people, feel free to continue regurgitating concise and understandable information.

Fittingly enough, mother birds regurgitate their otherwise indigestible food so that their young can digest it.

Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#88

Post by dekhn »

exyi wrote: post #81
JPLeRouzic wrote: post #6

They didn't detect RNA which would be extraordinary. What they detected is Uracil, one of the molecules that is found in RNA. They didn't found any other nucleotides. " Other DNA/RNA nucleobases were not positively identified in both the A0106 and C0107 samples. This does not necessarily exclude a possibility that those nucleobases are present in the Ryugu samples, but just they may be below the detection limit under…

If it had 200 nucleotides you'd know for sure it's a contamination. RNA isn't very stable (in our conditions, I have no idea how it does at 3 Kelvin, blasted with radiation for a million years...)

RNA can be stable if it's dry but DNA is much more stable. I can't see DNA surviving undamaged on the surface of an asteroid, but I could see: DNA getting somehow embedded in a rock agglomerate, then the rock gets ejected from a planet, lands on another planet whole, and then the rock breaks and now you have dna on another planet. With enough deep time, this could occur (possibly) but I can't see it as an effective method.

instead, better to take tardigrades, induce tun state, embed that in rock, and let that float around for a while. They have pretty much everything needed to survive including safe storage for DNA, DNA repair enzymes, redundant DNA, radiation-resistant exterior, etc.

Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#89

Post by dekhn »

Cardinal7167 wrote: post #38
coldtea wrote: post #11

> “Since the Hayabusa2 spacecraft collected two samples directly from asteroid Ryugu and delivered them to Earth in sealed capsules, contamination can be ruled out.” I seriously doubt that it could be "ruled out" just like that. For one, the spacecraft (or the empty capsules) could have been pre-contaminated before their launch. Second, the capsules could have been contaminated after arrival even if they were "sealed…

> For one, the spacecraft (or the empty capsules) could have been pre-contaminated before their launch. I had a really interesting discussion with someone who oversaw decontamination protocols and preparations for various satellites, including the JWST. The protocols they use to prep satellites for these types of missions are beyond stringent, and the chemicals they use are exotic as all hell. All this to say, contam…

I've talked to a few scientists in this area and I found out the Viking project life detection experiments generated a lot of controversey. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/04/science/space/gilbert-v-l...

Re: RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid

#90

Post by hulitu »

hdhrufjdi wrote: post #9
hulitu wrote: post #3

> RNA compound and vitamin B3 found in samples from near-Earth asteroid They can start mining asteroids for vitamins. /s

Perhaps we even find B12 resources so we might not have to eat meat anymore /s

Where do you think vitamins come from ? Haven't you seen Star Wars ? (Millenium falcon lands inside an asteroid and the heroes are almost eaten by a space "dinosaur" living inside the asteroid) /s
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