Meteorite that crashed into a NJ home contains 'extraterrestrial' amino acids

https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/15/science/new-jersey-fireball-rare-meteorite

by 1659447091 • 7 days ago

8 2 7 days ago

Avicebron• 7 days ago

x-files intensifies

gus_massa• 6 days ago

This is expected and similar to other meteorites. It's nice to confirm it and probably an specialist can pick an importatn detail that I'm missing. From the research article:

The higher relative abundance of glycine and other alpha-amino acids compared to beta–, gamma–, and delta–amino acid isomers suggests a formation by HCN polymerization and/or Strecker-cyanohydrin synthesis (29) inside Hillsborough’s parent body during an early aqueous alteration phase at moderate temperatures.

That is above my level of chemistry, but at least I can try to translate it. It's common for HCN to react slowly outside cells and produce molecules that have a few HCN glued together, and they produce the amino acids made by living things on Earth and also other amino acids. This is standard chemistry, but as I said above my level.

Some info in

Known organic molecules in deep space: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_interstellar_and_circu...

Titan has lakes of hidrocarbons and a organic brown goo that was produced by non-life chemical reactions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_(moon)

Meteorite that crashed into a NJ home contains 'extraterrestrial' amino acids

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