Black 'sand-like' asteroid dust found in capsule brought back by Japanese probe

At least they didn't find an unopened egg.....

Good on JAXA! I look forward to reading what they discover about these particles and other substances.

A fascinating trove of asteroid particles. Very interesting, I look forward to hearing the results of the investigations and conclusions.

Reckless - It's the Andromeda Strain

As impressive as it is to reach out so far and pluck a sample of an asteroid for return to earth, I’m glad that’s not all there is.

Is it black "sand-like" dust, or black "dust-like" breathable alien spores mixed in

Dun dun duuuuuun! Lol

the samples, which scientists hope could help shed light on the origin of life and the formation of the universe.

But how will that benefit us? We need to worry about the future and not the past.

"How thoroughly boring...

...into the asteroid retrieved the dust."

Are you proposing a better headline?

Like everyone else, I am anxiously waiting the results of analysis. My first guess would be a compound with carbon in it, like coal or diamonds.

But how will that benefit us? We need to worry about the future and not the past.

Many scientific discoveries we don't know how it'll benefit us until later

For example, when Copernicus published his paper explaining that the Sun, not the Earth, is at the center of our solar system - not many people paid attention. T'was not with a bang but a whimper. He died pretty much unknown

It wasn't until many decades later when Galileo developed his telescope, that people were able to use Copernicus' discovery to show that the Sun indeed is the true center of our solar system. And to say the least, that major shift in thinking has changed a lot of things, that for several millennia we believed incorrectly, for the better

Y'see, knowledge by itself is a benefit. Just by possessing a knowledge, somebody in the future can do something with it. What it would be, who knows? But you'd probably be glad to find out