Welcome to Discover Daily by Perplexity , an AI-generated show on tech , science and culture . I'm Alex . Today , we're exploring how an asteroid might be carrying the seeds of life , shedding new light on the origins of life in our solar system . But first let's look at what else is happening . First let's look at what else is happening .
On January 27th 2025 , president Donald Trump signed an executive order initiating the development of a US Iron Dome defense system . This ambitious plan aims to create a multi-layered shield against ballistic , hypersonic and cruise missile threats .
The executive order , titled the Iron Dome for America , mandates Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deliver an implementation plan within 60 days . Key requirements include the system being entirely manufactured within the United States and designed to defend against a range of threats .
The initiative calls for a multi-layered defense system to protect cities and infrastructure , including the development of space-based interceptors for early-stage missile defense . But this proposal faces significant technical and financial challenges .
Unlike Israel's relatively small territory , the US system would need to defend an expansive landmass against sophisticated threats , including nuclear-armed , intercontinental ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons . The estimated cost could exceed $2 trillion , more than double the current annual US military budget .
Critics argue that expanding the existing ground-based mid-course defense system to cover the entire country is impractical and unnecessary . They point out that the Iron Dome is designed for short-range threats , not the long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles that pose the primary threat to the United States .
Some experts , like William Hartung from the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft , argue that the proposal is more beneficial to arms contractors than to national security . Despite these criticisms , proponents maintain that the initiative could enhance America's defensive capabilities against evolving threats from peer and near-peer adversaries .
Looking ahead , we'll see how the administration addresses these technical and financial hurdles and how Congress responds to this ambitious proposal . Moving on to our second segment , we have news of a renewed push for California's independence .
A new CalExit initiative seeking California's secession from the United States has been approved for signature gathering , potentially placing the measure on the 2028 ballot , if enough support is garnered . To qualify for the 2028 ballot , the Cal Exit Initiative must gather over half a million valid signatures from registered California voters by July 22 , 2025 .
If successful , the measure would ask voters should California leave the United States and become a free and independent country . For the initiative to pass , it would require 50% voter participation and 55 yes votes . Even if approved by voters , the measure would be non-binding and would not immediately result in California's secession from the United States .
Any actual separation would require a constitutional amendment and approval from both the US Congress and 38 states . Throughout US history , numerous secession movements have emerged , but none have succeeded since the Civil War .
Notable examples include the Republic of Lakota's 2007 attempt to form an independent nation from five Midwest states , texas' recurring independence movements since the 1990s and the State of Jefferson movement in 1941 , seeking to merge parts of Northern California and Southern Oregon .
If the Cal Exit Initiative passes , it would establish a 20-member commission in 2027 to study California's independence viability , with a report due in 2028 . The process would cost $10 million initially , plus $2 million annually for commission operations . Now let's dive into our main story of the day .
Nasa's OSIRIS-REx mission has made a discovery that impacts our understanding of life's origins in the solar system . Samples collected from asteroid Bennu have revealed the presence of key ingredients for DNA and RNA , along with evidence of ancient water . The analysis of these samples has uncovered a remarkable array of organic compounds and minerals essential for life .
As we know it . All five nuclear bases crucial for DNA and RNA formation adenine , guanine , cytosine , thymine and uracil were detected in the Bennu samples . Additionally , amino acids the building blocks of proteins were identified in the asteroid material . The abundance and diversity of these compounds surpassed scientists' expectations .
The samples contained a diverse mix of carbon-rich compounds , including some that had never been seen in meteorites before . Water-soluble organic molecules were also present , suggesting potential chemical precursors to life . Testing potential chemical precursors to life . These findings provide unprecedented insights into the potential origins of life in our solar system .
They indicate that asteroids like Bennu could have played a significant role in delivering life's ingredients to Earth . This bolsters theories about asteroids as potential carriers of life's precursors to planets . The OSIRIS-REx mission , launched in 2016 , successfully collected over 121 grams of asteroid material from Bennu in October 2020 , more than doubling its target goal .
The sample return capsule parachuted back to Earth on September 24 , 2023 , marking the completion of NASA's first asteroid sample return mission . One of the most intriguing discoveries was the presence of a unique magnesium-sodium phosphate mineral not previously detected by remote sensing during the mission .
This phosphate's purity and large grain size are unprecedented in meteorite samples , hinting at Bennu's possible origin from a small , primitive ocean world . The asteroid's dust is dominated by clay minerals , particularly serpentine mirroring rocks found at Earth's mid-ocean ridges .
These clays , along with carbonates , iron oxides and iron sulfides , suggest extensive water-rock interactions in Bennu's past . The samples also contain a complete set of evaporite minerals , including calcite , halite and sylvite , indicating long-term interaction with salt-saturated water .
The findings from Bennu not only reveal its ancient watery history , but suggest that the building blocks of life are more widespread in the universe than previously believed . Thank you now access Perplexity's AI-powered knowledge base on the go with the mobile app available for both Android and iOS . There's also the Perplexity desktop app for macOS .
In other Perplexity news , the company has launched Sonar and Sonar Pro APIs enabling developers to integrate real-time AI search capabilities into their applications with unparalleled factual accuracy .
The new offering stands out for its affordability and advanced features , including double the citations of standard search and the ability to customize trusted sources , with companies like Zoom already leveraging the technology to enhance their video conferencing platform . We'll be back with more stories that matter . Until then , stay curious .