Posted on 02/16/2017 6:53:27 PM PST by BenLurkin
Ceres, one of five dwarf planets in the solar system, is also an asteroid — the largest of them, in fact. Formed around 4.5 billion years ago, it sits in the belt of rocky debris that lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
...
Among the asteroids, Ceres is special. As a dwarf planet, it got stuck somewhere along the way to becoming a full-grown world. Frozen in this state, Ceres also offers a snapshot of planetary adolescence.
Scientists have long wondered whether asteroids had not just water but also organic matter that could have been brought to Earth, perhaps providing the right chemical ingredients for life to emerge. Water and organic molecules have been discovered in meteorites that are thought to be chunks of asteroids that fell to Earth.
...
When light hits any material, that material will absorb certain wavelengths while reflecting the rest. Since the absorbed wavelengths are unique to the material’s properties, those missing bands of light serve as a chemical fingerprint that a spectrometer can use to determine the composition of the surface.
The organic matter detected on Ceres lies in a roughly 1,000-square-kilometer area near an approximately 50-kilometer-wide crater named Ernutet. While the scientists aren’t sure exactly what the compounds are, the fingerprint is characteristic of material containing carbon-hydrogen bonds, and may include components like methyl and methylene.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Avoid the protomolecule at all costs.
They found LIFE again? Must be NASA funding time.
Mine and then terraform that sucker. Read the L. Neil Smith novels about Pallas and Ceres.
Saturn’s atmosphere contains methane as does the atmosphere of its largest moon, Titan. The atmosphere of Uranus contains water and methane. The atmosphere of Neptune contains methane and ethane, and its largest moon, Triton, contains methane and carbon monoxide.
Hydrocarbons and carbon compounds are quite common in the universe.
This story is just another nothingburger.
It is well known that conditions were very negative for the emergence of life on this planet early during its formation. To rescue the theory that life evolved, there is a theory that life or an early stage of life landed on this planet from outer space. Otherwise, what could explain the obvious fact that this planet is teeming with life?
Like Legos? They found some Legos?
Hydrocarbons and carbon compounds are quite common in the universe.
This story is just another nothingburger.
...
I think I’ll agree.
I see what you did there.
Stay away from Eros too.
I just found a bit of copper ore, a little bauxite and some old motor oil in my sandbox!
Voila! I have the "building blocks" for my new iPhone 17.3 Beta (DIY version) I will call you using it, "soon".
Ceres? Sounds hugh.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.