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This doghouse was hit by a meteorite while a dog named Rocky was sleeping inside.
But the interesting part is that the meteorite contained amino acids - the building blocks of proteins.
And the *really* interesting part is that the amino acids were mainly left-handed!
(1/n)
But the interesting part is that the meteorite contained amino acids - the building blocks of proteins.
And the *really* interesting part is that the amino acids were mainly left-handed!
(1/n)
This chart shows the amino acids found in the meteorites that landed in Aguas Zarcas (AZ), Costa Rica, including the doghouse - and an earlier bunch in Murchison Australia.
Both had more *left-handed* amino acids! All amino acids in life are left-handed.
(2/n)
Both had more *left-handed* amino acids! All amino acids in life are left-handed.
(2/n)
These meteorites are about 4.5 billion years old. They are "carbonaceous chondrites", a type that contains a lot of organic matter. The Murchison meteorites even contain nucleobases - the components of DNA and RNA.
Read the tale here!
(3/n, n = 3) https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/unusual-meteorite-more-valuable-gold-may-hold-building-blocks-life
Read the tale here!
(3/n, n = 3) https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/unusual-meteorite-more-valuable-gold-may-hold-building-blocks-life
The chart, by the way, is from here. This is a good place to read about amino acids in meteorites! https://www.meteorite-times.com/initial-identification-of-extraterrestrial-amino-acids-in-the-aguas-zarcas-cm2-carbonaceous-chondrite/
