Back in 2020, a Japanese mission successfully returned samples from a massive near-Earth asteroid called Ryugu.

But surprisingly, while analyzing these samples scientists found living bacteria –making one of the most unexpected twists in the search for alien life!

Now, some researchers are speculating that this could actually be life from Earth, as similar contamination was seen in the Apollo Moon rocks and Martian meteorites.

But with NASA’s strict procedures in place, is contamination even possible? Or could this be evidence of life beyond our planet?

We explore the science behind the life found in these asteroid samples, discover how even the strictest precautions could fall short, and see what it means for future missions.