No. of Recommendations: 4
[ Only indirectly related to U.S. policy, in that, yes, we
really need to keep funding space science missions. ]
Turns out that in the samples returned from asteroid Bennu, among other amazing discoveries, scientists found 14 of the 20 amino acids needed for life, all five nucleotide bases that make up DNA and RNA, the sugars ribose and glucose, and a mysterious "gum like substance".
Almost too good to be true. I suspect Earthly contamination. 😉
Great short summary courtesy of "Astro Alexandra":
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/stbcn0QB6C0 