Phosphorus Grains in Ryugu Samples Offer Insights into Earth’s Early Life Chemistry

C-type asteroids, like Ryugu, are fascinating because they could be the reason life began on Earth. These space rocks are packed with the raw materials that likely helped shape the early chemistry of our planet. By understanding their composition, we get a clearer picture of how Earth formed and how it might have received the ingredients essential for life.

The Japanese space mission, Hayabusa2, brought back samples from Ryugu in 2020, and scientists have been studying them closely ever since. What makes these samples so exciting is that they’re untouched by Earth’s conditions, making them a kind of time capsule from the early Solar System. Among these samples, researchers have come across something particularly interesting: phosphorus-rich grains that could have played a huge role in how life got started on Earth.

Grains That Could Have Changed Everything

These grains, which are made up of hydrated ammonium, magnesium, and phosphorus (HAMP), are thought to have come from the outer Solar System. That’s where temperatures are cold enough for water ice to form, preserving these grains over time. What’s unique about them is that they can release phosphorus and nitrogen in forms that are more soluble and reactive than what’s found in other minerals. This means they might have been more involved in the chemical reactions that sparked life on our planet.

A Possible Link to the Start of Life

These phosphorus-rich grains likely interacted with Earth’s early water systems, providing the nutrients needed for organic compounds to develop. This could mean that they played a direct role in the chemical processes that led to life. As researchers continue to study the Ryugu samples, they hope to learn even more about how these grains—and others like them—could have influenced the origins of life on Earth, and possibly beyond.