Scientists get 4.6-billion-year-old asteroid dirt

A very small amount of dust and dirt from an asteroid has arrived at the Natural History Museum in London. 

The dust came from asteroid Bennu, which is about 320 million kilometers from Earth and about 4.6 billion years old. The researchers at the museum received 100 mg or about a teaspoon of the dirt.

In 2020, a NASA mission called Osiris-Rex visited the asteroid Bennu. In September this year, it brought back more than 60 grams of dirt to Earth. It’s the most dirt brought to Earth from space since NASA astronauts visited the moon in the 1960s and 1970s.

There is a small chance that Bennu hits Earth in the next 300 years.

Dr. Ashley King, a space scientist at the museum, says the dirt is a “treasure” that can teach us about the very beginning of our solar system. 

NASA scientists have already found that some parts of the asteroid have a lot of carbon and water. Scientists plan to study the dirt for many years to understand how the solar system started and if asteroids like Bennu brought water to Earth and other planets.

Scientists will check if the water from Bennu is similar to the water in Earth’s oceans. They are also interested in how to move or destroy asteroids that might hit Earth.

For the next two years, the scientists at the Natural History Museum will use special tools, like X-rays and tiny cameras, to learn more about what Bennu is made of.

Vocabulary

• Amount – quantity; number; total; sum; size
• Dust – Very fine/small pieces of dirt; Tiny, dry particles/pieces that float in the air and fall
• Dirt – Soil or earth; the stuff on the ground
• Asteroid – a large, rocky object that flies around in space; a large rock in space
• Million – 1,000,000 = one-million
• Earth – the planet/world we live on 🌎
• Billion – 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
• Researcher – a person who does research; a person who studies something to find new results
• Teaspoon – A small spoon used for measuring or stirring a drink; 
• Mission – an expedition/trip into space; an important job that a person is sent somewhere to do; A special task or goal that someone or a group is trying to achieve
• Astronaut – a person who is trained to travel in space
• Chance – opportunity; possibility;
• Space – the area outside of Earth with stars and darkness
• Scientist – a person who studies science or the natural world; researcher
• Treasure – Something valuable/important that is hidden or hard to find; something very special
• Solar system – The sun and all the planets and other objects like moons that orbit/circle it
• Carbon – a chemical element found in all living things; the C in CO2; 
• Plan – want; aim; to intend to do something
• Planet – a large object in space that orbits (goes around) a star (Earth is a planet)
• Destroy – to “end” something by damaging it or attacking it; wreck; demolish; break
• Tool – a thing used to help do a job; a device with a specific function; instrument; equipment
• X-ray – a type of radiation that can go through many solid substances, often used to take pictures of bones inside of our bodies
• Tiny – very, very small

Quiz

Time’s up

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think Dr. Ashley King calls the dirt a “treasure”? What makes it valuable?
• How do you feel about the idea that there’s a small chance Bennu could hit Earth in the next 300 years?
• What do you think are some possible ways to move or destroy asteroids that might be a threat to Earth?
• If you had a chance to visit the Natural History Museum, would you be interested in seeing the asteroid dirt and why?

• English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
• English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.

Original Story

www.theguardian.com

‘It’s amazing’: scientists analyse 4.6bn-year-old dark dust from Bennu asteroid

Natural History Museum prepares to study pristine material gathered in Nasa’s Osiris-Rex mission

Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice

A very small _____ of dust and dirt from an asteroid has arrived at _____ Natural History Museum in London. 

The _____ came from asteroid Bennu, which is _____ 320 million kilometers from Earth and about 4.6 _____ years old. The researchers at the museum _____ 100 mg or about a teaspoon of the dirt.

In _____, a NASA mission called Osiris-Rex visited the _____ Bennu. In September this year, it brought back _____ than 60 grams of dirt to Earth. It’s the most dirt brought to Earth from _____ since NASA astronauts visited the moon in the 1960s and _____.

There is a small _____ that Bennu hits Earth in the next 300 years.

Dr. Ashley King, a space _____ at the museum, says the dirt is a “treasure” that can teach us about the very _____ of our solar system. 

NASA scientists have _____ found that some parts of the asteroid have a lot of carbon and _____. Scientists plan to study the dirt for many _____ to understand how the solar system started and if asteroids _____ Bennu brought water to Earth and _____ planets.

Scientists will _____ if the water from Bennu is similar to the _____ in Earth’s oceans. They are also interested in how to _____ or destroy asteroids that might hit Earth.

For the next _____ years, the scientists at the Natural History Museum will use _____ tools, like X-rays and tiny cameras, to_____ more about what Bennu is made of.