Secrets of the Asteroids
This episode investigates the mysteries of asteroids through NASA’s pioneering Osiris REx mission to intercept and sample the space rock, Bennu.
The rock that Osiris REx returns to Earth promises to help scientists both defeat a killer asteroid and pinpoint the origins of life on Earth. How can the Sun help scientists predict if Bennu will hit the Earth in future? How do ancient minerals inside Bennu’s rocks unlock how organic chemistry reaches Earth billions of years ago? And how can we mine the resources inside asteroids to fuel future missions to the Outer Solar System?