‘Earth’s long-lost twin’: NASA OSIRIS mission finds a cosmic connection to California lake
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Space & Earth Twins
Minerals found on asteroid Bennu match those in California’s Searles Lake, linking cosmic and Earthly chemistry.
Ancient Water Clue
Evaporites on Bennu suggest its parent body once had liquid water—4.5 billion years ago!
NASA’s Cosmic Haul
The OSIRIS-REx mission collected asteroid dust in 2020, returning it to Earth in 2023 for analysis.
Life’s Ingredients?
Bennu’s minerals formed in alkaline, salty water—similar to conditions that may have sparked life on Earth.
Sublime Similarities
Six key minerals—like trona and halite—exist both on Bennu and in Searles Lake, showing a shared chemical process.
Salt Rings in Space
On Earth, salt forms in “bathtub rings” as water evaporates. Bennu’s parent body likely underwent a similar process.
Meteorite Microscopes
Scientists used electron microscopes to reveal tiny mineral structures—some just micrometers wide!
Mining the Past
Searles Lake has been mined for over a century, but Bennu offers a glimpse into mineral formation billions of years ago.
A New Clue to Life
Bennu’s chemistry hints that water-rich asteroids may have delivered life’s building blocks to early Earth.