NASA’s first look at a sample from asteroid Bennu reveals life’s building blocks

This is the most material collected from beyond the orbit of the moon

Asteroid rock and dust appears on the outer surface of the circular capsule that collected the asteroid sample.

When beginning to open the capsule that collected the asteroid sample, NASA scientists found extra material outside the collection container. That has delayed opening the main capsule but led to a few science discoveries.

Erika Blumenfeld & Joseph Aebersold/NASA

NASA scientists are just beginning to reveal details about roughly 250 grams of dust and rocks brought back to Earth from the asteroid Bennu.