Technologies

How Did Life Happen? NASA Says It Found Tantalizing Clues on Asteroid Bennu

It’s the first time scientists have discovered six-carbon glucose in an extraterrestrial sample.

New research announced by NASA on Tuesday details a bevy of exciting discoveries from asteroid dust that could provide clues to how life developed in our neck of the cosmos, including the sugars required for basic life forms, a mysterious gum-like substance and a surprising amount of stardust from supernovae.

NASA’s robot spacecraft, Osiris-Rex, scooped up rocks and dust from the asteroid Bennu in 2020 and delivered the sample to Earth in 2023. Since then, scientists around the globe have been studying the space rocks to gain insight into the early days of our solar system.

Yoshihiro Furukawa, a scientist from Tohoku University in Japan, led a team that found the sugar. It’s the first time scientists have discovered six-carbon glucose — a universal source of carbon and fuel for life forms — in an extraterrestrial sample. Five-carbon sugar ribose was also present in the samples, but this type of sugar has previously been found in space.

«Although these sugars are not evidence of life, their detection, along with previous detections of amino acids, nucleobases and carboxylic acids in Bennu samples, show building blocks of biological molecules were widespread throughout the solar system,» the NASA release states.

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Furukawa said in a statement that all of the nucleobases needed to build DNA and RNA have already been found in the Bennu samples, so «the new discovery of ribose means that all of the components to form the molecule RNA are present in Bennu.»

The findings were published in Nature on Tuesday, and the researchers say their work supports a hypothesis called RNA World. The hypothesis relates to the origins of life on our planet. It states that before complex life existed on Earth, there was an RNA world that predated the development of modern cells.

Ancient ‘space gum’ and supernovae dust

Aside from life-building sugars, the Bennu sample holds a few other interesting findings. A pair of researchers named Scott Sandford (from NASA’s Ames Research Center) and Zack Gainsforth (from the University of California, Berkeley) also released a paper in Nature on Tuesday about a «gum-like» material that’s never been found on space rocks before now.

Originally, the substance was soft and flexible, the researchers say, but it hardened over time. The space gum is made of «polymer-like materials extremely rich in nitrogen and oxygen.» This is a significant development, NASA says, because it could contain some of the «chemical precursors» that helped initiate life on our planet.

«With this strange substance we’re looking at, quite possibly, one of the earliest alterations of materials that occurred in this rock,» Sandford said in a statement. «On this primitive asteroid that formed in the early days of the solar system, we’re looking at events near the beginning of the beginning.»

Yet a third paper published in Nature on Tuesday from a research team led by Ann Nguyen (NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston) looked into dust found on the Bennu samples that came from stars older than our own solar system. There was a lot more supernova dust than expected.

The samples held six times more stardust than scientists have found on any other astromaterial.

«Their preservation in the Bennu samples was a surprise and illustrates that some material escaped alteration in the parent body,» Nguyen said in a statement. «Our study reveals the diversity of presolar materials that the parent accreted as it was forming.»

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center provided overall mission management for Osiris-Rex.

Technologies

Episode 2 of the VERUM Mini-Series is Now Out

The story continues. Verum Messenger has released the second episode of its AI mini-series, which follows the conflict between the powerful Omega corporation, aiming to control digital communications, and a team of heroes who have chosen a different path and free communication.

The mini-series not only develops an engaging storyline but also introduces viewers to the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, showcasing technologies and tools that may redefine the future of modern communication.

The project consists of 7 episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 2 is now available. Stay tuned and don’t miss what comes next.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

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Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger