Japan's space agency finds ample dust, gas from asteroid

Quote ''Hayabusa2, meanwhile, is now on an 11-year expedition to another asteroid to try to study possible defenses against meteorites that could fly toward Earth.''

Space has plenty of resources for all of us, it also has the potential to destroy all life on Earth if you ignore it. Dinosaurs are the best example of that danger.

Only a fool using modern technology and the internet, using smartphones, would complain and see no value in space exploration, in the progress that can be made for everyone down here, including the safety of Earth and all life on it.

Excellent news - very well done.

I look forward to reading your findings.

Quote: "And another compartment next week..."

So how many compartments are there? Three so far? Totally impossible to comprehend what they are doing without this basic information.

Instead of stuff like this, it's unbelievable that Japan doesn't use this money to alleviate poverty and suffering in its own country. Yikes..

What's even more unbelievable is that in 2020 there are still people who don't comprehend the merits of science and technology. Yikes...

And hasn't found any life from the sample?

I hope they haven't escaped already and can't find them now.

When Apollo astronauts returned from moon, they were put on 3 week quarantines to absolutely make sure they weren't contaminated with lunar life.

I haven't seen Japanese scientists making similar quarantine effort on returned samples and this is what troubles me greatly.

well done, but not soil, dust.

It is sad that silly negative comments were made again.

This is very important and a step in scientific progress. Well done, JAXA.

And don't forget, NASA recently got some soil and rocks from the asteroid Bennu. How are Bennu and Ryuku alike, or different? And NASA's Juno probe has been exploring the largest asteroid in our solar system, Ceres.

Well done for this science.

Congratulations.

Major step for exo sciences.

Congratulations and like others I will look forward to reading the results of the various investigations.

The anti-science ignorance displayed by all too many beggars belief. Most of the comforts, tools and technology we enjoy today, including the devices used to post these foolish remarks are the product ultimately of pure scientific research. Further without the tools and understanding from this sort of research we will not be in a position to prevent catastrophes from asteroid impacts. Remember, it is not if but when they will strike.

I was expecting soil or mineral samples but that they have gases also surprised me. Good job JAXA. Keep releasing the findings, it is quite interesting.

@samit basu. You think scientists who did this much and pulled off one of the greatest achievements in space exploration won't take the steps necessary especially when the purpose of the collected samples is to look for signs of life?