Soil samples collected from the asteroid Ryugu by Japan's Hayabusa 2 space probe contain organic substances, a discovery that will likely provide clues to the origin of life on Earth, according to ...

TOKYO -- Japanese researchers have identified sodium carbonates, or salt crystals, in samples from the Ryugu asteroid brought back to Earth by the Hayabusa2 space probe. The findings, published in ...

The spacecraft left its orbit around Ryugu on Wednesday with samples of the asteroid in tow. Hayabusa-2 is expected to return to Earth in late 2020, completing its successful multi-year mission.