Exploring Bennu – A Journey into the Origins of Life
Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System’s Birth
Date and time
Location
Online
About this event
- Event lasts 1 hour 30 minutes
Asteroid Bennu is not just another space rock—it’s a 4.5-billion-year-old time capsule, holding pristine materials from the dawn of our solar system. In 2020, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission made history by successfully collecting a sample from Bennu’s surface, bringing back 250 grams of ancient asteroid dust—the largest extraterrestrial haul since the Apollo moon missions.
What scientists found inside has rewritten textbooks:The highest concentration of carbon ever measured in an extraterrestrial sampleWater-bearing clay minerals, suggesting asteroids may have delivered Earth’s oceansOrganic compounds, including amino acids—potential building blocks of life
But the mission was far from easy. Bennu’s surface defied expectations, ejecting debris like a "popcorn machine" and forcing NASA to rethink its sampling strategy. The daring Touch-And-Go (TAG) maneuver was a nail-biting success—but the sample was so abundant that it overflowed the collection capsule, nearly causing a catastrophic loss.
Now, as researchers analyze these precious grains, they’re uncovering clues about:How planets formed in the early solar systemWhether asteroids seeded Earth with water and organicsHow to defend our planet from future asteroid impacts (Bennu has a 1-in-1,750 chance of hitting Earth in 2182!)
Join us for a captivating deep dive into Bennu’s mysteries, featuring leading planetary scientists and mission experts. We’ll explore:Why asteroids hold the key to life’s originsThe high-stakes drama of OSIRIS-REx’s seven-year journeyGroundbreaking discoveries inside the Bennu sampleWhat this means for the future of space exploration, asteroid mining, and planetary defense
Plus: A live Q&A with our expert panel—bring your burning questions about Bennu, space missions, and the search for life’s cosmic beginnings!
Don’t miss this cosmic revelation—register now!
Follow here to join our telegram community to interact with others