"Scientists find evidence that an asteroid contains tryptophan".
Tryptophan, the essential amino acid behind the Thanksgiving myth that eating turkey can make you sleepy, has been found to exist on Bennu, a small asteroid that swings by our planet about every six years.
The discovery stems from an unprecedented sample collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, which landed a spacecraft on the asteroid in 2020, captured 4.3 ounces (121.6 grams) of rocks and dust, and safely returned the cache to Earth in 2023. NASA has since distributed a small portion of that sample to researchers around the world to be analyzed.
Maybe some lab technician was careless with their sandwich during lunch break?
ReplyDeleteI always figured tryptophan was bogus. Because no way would overeating and then vegging out in front of the TV induce slumber, right?
ReplyDeleteI usually would take a moderate walk after the Thanksgiving meal, just to stay limbered up and alert. And it always worked too.
I like to take a walk after Thanksgiving Day dinner, too. Right after my nap.
DeleteSo, does that mean breathing asteroid dust can make you sleepy?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the dinosaurs died from an overdose of tryptophan.
I didn't know that the tryptophan thing was a myth.
ReplyDelete