Microscopic traces of glycine were discovered in a sample of particles retrieved from the tail of comet Wild 2 by the NASA spacecraft Stardust deep in the solar system some 242 million miles (390 million km) from Earth, in January 2004.More info at Reuters.
Samples of gas and dust collected on a small dish lined with a super-fluffy material called aerogel were returned to Earth two years later in a canister that detached from the spacecraft and landed by parachute in the Utah desert.
Building block of life found in a comet
Posted on Wednesday, August 19 2009 @ 2:12 CEST by Thomas De MaesschalckFor the first time, scientists have found proof that comets can contain amino acids. This finding adds evidence to the theory that comets and meteorites may have seeded Earth with the raw materials necessary to create life.
