As scientists continue to explore the vast expanse of our solar system, they are constantly reminded that there is still much we don’t know about its origins and evolution. A recent discovery in the asteroid Ryugu has shed new light on this phenomenon, leaving researchers with more questions than answers.

The Hayabusa2 mission returned pristine samples from the C-type asteroid Ryugu on December 6, 2020. These samples were crucial for improving our understanding of primitive asteroids and their role in forming the Solar System. However, a research team at Hiroshima University made an unexpected find – the presence of djerfisherite, a potassium-containing iron-nickel sulfide mineral, in one of these Ryugu grains.

Djerfisherite is typically associated with enstatite chondrites, which form under very reduced conditions. Its occurrence in CI chondrites, like those found in Ryugu, has sparked debate among scientists about the asteroid’s history and formation processes. Associate Professor Masaaki Miyahara explained that djerfisherite’s presence suggests either an unexpected local environment or long-distance transport in the early solar system.

The research team had been conducting experiments to understand the effects of terrestrial weathering on Ryugu grains. While observing these grains using field-emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM), they stumbled upon djerfisherite in grain number 15, sample plate C0105-042. This finding opens new avenues for understanding the complexity of primitive asteroids and challenges our previous notion that Ryugu is compositionally uniform.

Ryugu’s parent body is believed to have formed between 1.8 to 2.9 million years after the beginning of the Solar System. During this time, it existed in the outer region of the solar system, where water and carbon dioxide were present as ice. The temperature inside the parent body remained below approximately 50℃. However, the presence of djerfisherite in Ryugu suggests that materials from different formation histories may have mixed early in the solar system’s evolution.

Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain this phenomenon: either djerfisherite arrived from another source during the formation of Ryugu’s parent body or it was formed intrinsically when the temperature of Ryugu was raised to above 350 ℃. Preliminary evidence indicates that the intrinsic formation hypothesis is more likely to be true.

Ultimately, scientists aim to reconstruct the early mixing processes and thermal histories that shaped small bodies like Ryugu. By understanding these events, we can gain a better grasp of planetary formation and material transport in the early solar system. The discovery of djerfisherite in asteroid Ryugu has taken us one step closer to unraveling this enigma.

The possibility of inhabiting Mars has long been a staple of science fiction, but recent successful landings on the Red Planet have made this idea increasingly plausible. However, building structures millions of miles from Earth is a daunting task, especially considering the costs and logistics involved in sending massive payloads into space. One potential solution to this problem lies in using the resources already present on Mars to build our dream homes.

Dr. Congrui Grace Jin, an assistant professor at Texas A&M University, has made significant progress towards making this vision a reality. Her research team, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has developed a synthetic lichen system that can form building materials using Martian regolith – a mixture of dust, sand, and rocks.

This breakthrough technology uses heterotrophic filamentous fungi as bonding material producers, paired with photoautotrophic diazotrophic cyanobacteria to create a self-sustaining system. The fungi promote the production of biominerals, while the cyanobacteria fix carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, creating oxygen and organic nutrients that support the growth of both components.

The synthetic lichen system can grow without any external intervention or nutrient supply, making it an ideal solution for Martian construction. This technology has the potential to revolutionize extraterrestrial exploration and colonization by enabling structures to be built in even the most demanding environments.

The next step in this research is the creation of regolith ink to print bio-structures using direct ink writing techniques. The implications of this technology are significant, not only for space exploration but also for sustainable building practices on Earth.

As we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in space colonization, it’s exciting to think about the possibilities that lie ahead. With advancements like Dr. Jin’s synthetic lichen system, we may soon be able to build our dream homes on Mars and beyond.

The Apollo astronauts stumbled upon an unexpected treasure on the lunar surface – tiny, bright orange glass beads that had been frozen in time for billions of years. These minuscule, 1mm-wide capsules hold secrets about the moon’s explosive past, revealing a chapter of volcanic eruptions that shaped the satellite’s history.

Researchers led by Thomas Williams, Stephen Parman, and Alberto Saal from Brown University, in collaboration with WashU scientists, have employed cutting-edge techniques to study these ancient artifacts. Using instruments like NanoSIMS 50, atom probe tomography, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, they have gained unprecedented insights into the surface of the beads.

Each glass bead is a testament to the moon’s volcanic activity, where lava droplets solidified instantly in the cold vacuum surrounding the satellite. The colors, shapes, and chemical compositions of these tiny minerals are unlike anything found on Earth, serving as probes into the pressure, temperature, and chemical environment of lunar eruptions 3.5 billion years ago.

The study reveals that the style of volcanic eruptions changed over time, much like reading the journal of an ancient lunar volcanologist. These findings not only shed light on the moon’s past but also demonstrate the importance of preserving samples for future generations, as technology advances and new instruments become available to uncover hidden secrets.