Chris Richards/University of Arizona Communications

(From left) Lori Glaze, Daniel Galvin, Dante Lauretta, Francis McCubbin and Bill Nelson speak during a press conference at NASA's Johnson Space Center on Oct. 11, 2023.

The first sample reveal from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission Wednesday shows that the building blocks of life on Earth could be found in the rocks gathered from the asteroid Bennu.

The researchers have collected images from an electron microscope, infrared measurements and have built 3D computer models of some of the rocks gathered.

The preliminary sample shows water-bearing clay minerals and carbon-rich material. The sample reveal event was held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Erika Blumenfeld and Joseph Aebersold/NASA

A view of the outside of the OSIRIS-REx sample collector. Sample material from asteroid Bennu can be seen on the middle right. Scientists have found evidence of both carbon and water in initial analysis of this material. The bulk of the sample is inside.

University of Arizona professor and OSIRIS-REx principal investigator Dante Laurretta says he hopes the mission can shed light into the origin of life.

“To me that’s the greatest mystery that we are facing right now, is like: how do you go from a ball of mud to something that’s alive, like what happens when you make that transition?" Lauretta asked.

The OSIRIS-REx team will be analyzing the sample over the next two years, though the material will be studied for decades to come. 

"Why are you so interested in rocks, right? Like what is so cool about them? And I’m like, because rocks tell you a story, right? And it's the story of Bennu and the history of the solar system that I’m most excited to unravel with this science program," Lauretta said.