4 days ago
Japanese researchers: Rock samples from asteroid oldest found in solar system
Researchers in Japan are claiming a landmark discovery. They say rock samples retrieved from an asteroid are the oldest ever found in the solar system.
Japanese space probe Hayabusa 2 brought the samples back from asteroid Ryugu. They measure less than 0.1 millimeters each.
The researchers come from institutions including Hokkaido University. They say the rock was formed in high temperatures 4.5673 billion years ago, shortly after the birth of the solar system.
They also say the rock is older than Ryugu, which is made of minerals that formed by reacting with water about 4.562 billion years ago.
They add that the asteroid was likely formed somewhere farther from the sun.
Associate Professor Kawasaki Noriyuki of Hokkaido University says the findings shed light on how raw materials in the solar system behaved and formed astral objects.
