Toshiki Koga

Biogeochemist at JAMSTEC and lead author of the Ryugu nucleobase study

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Last updated Nov 3, 2026

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All five DNA and RNA nucleobases found in asteroid Ryugu samples

New Capabilities

Lead author of the Nature Astronomy paper

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft dropped 5.4 grams of asteroid Ryugu onto Earth in 2020. In March 2026, researchers reported that those pristine grains contain all five nucleobases used in DNA and RNA.

Updated 2 hours ago