NASA Study of Pristine Meteorite Adds to Story of Ancient Asteroids

A meteorite that fell to Earth in New Jersey and was quickly recovered by an amateur astronomer is revealing new secrets about the early solar system. NASA researchers publishing their findings Wednesday in Science Advances found evidence that ancient salt-rich brines altered minerals inside the Hillsborough meteorite's parent asteroid and preserved a rich inventory of organic compounds, including amino acids — the building blocks of life. The discovery suggests such briny water was far more widespread on primitive asteroids than previously known, offering fresh clues into how the chemical ingredients for life may have been seeded throughout the early solar system.

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