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A piece of asteroid has arrived on Earth from the other side of the solar system, in a major success for Nasa’s Osiris-Rex mission. The spacecraft has spent years flying to Asteroid Bennu, gathering up a piece of it, and bringing it back home so that it can be studied by researchers. It brings an end to a mission that took seven years, saw it travel 4 billion miles, and cost more than a billion dollars. Scientists hope that study can help reveal how planets formed and evolved, and might shed light on how life itself began. Since Bennu is around 4.5 billion years old, the sample is almost like a look back into the solar system during its early years and Nasa has referred to it as a “time capsule”. Asteroid Bennu is also notable as Nasa’s “most dangerous asteroid”, according to a scale used to measure how much of a hazard a given object poses. It is the first time that Nasa has brought back a piece of an asteroid, and the first time since 2020. It is also the biggest ever to be gathered, at around 250 grams. Nasa sent a team on board helicopters to gather the sample canister, extracting it to ensure that it did not become contaminated by the environment. Since the sample was directly from the asteroid, it will not have any trace of material from the Earth on it, unlike those that fall to Earth. That sample will be distributed between 200 people at 38 institutions across the world, including those in the UK. The Osiris-Rex mission left Earth in September 2016, and arrived at the asteroid in October 2018. It gathered samples in October 2020, and then left the asteroid in April 2021. Since then, both the sample and the spacecraft have been returning back from the other side of the solar system to Earth. The spacecraft then dropped off the sample to return home, while Osiris-Rex will carry on to study another asteroid called Apophis, where it will arrive in 2029. Apophis is also notable for its danger: at times, it has challenged Bennu at the top of the league table of most dangerous objects. But recent research has suggested that Apophis poses less of a danger. Ashley King, UKRI future leaders fellow, Natural History Museum, said: “Osiris-Rex spent over two years studying asteroid Bennu, finding evidence for organics and minerals chemically altered by water. “These are crucial ingredients for understanding the formation of planets like Earth, so we’re delighted to be among the first researchers to study samples returned from Bennu. ‘We think the Bennu samples might be similar in composition to the recent Winchcombe meteorite fall, but largely uncontaminated by the terrestrial environment and even more pristine.” Dr Sarah Crowther, research fellow in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester, said: “It is a real honour to be selected to be part of the Osiris-Rex sample analysis team, working with some of the best scientists around the world. “We’re excited to receive samples in the coming weeks and months, and to begin analysing them and see what secrets asteroid Bennu holds. “A lot of our research focuses on meteorites and we can learn a lot about the history of the solar system from them. “Meteorites get hot coming through Earth’s atmosphere and can sit on Earth for many years before they are found, so the local environment and weather can alter or even erase important information about their composition and history. “Sample return missions like Osiris-Rex are vitally important because the returned samples are pristine, we know exactly w Read More Pieces of a distant asteroid are about to fall to Earth Nasa to return largest asteroid sample ever as UK helps with research Astronomers find abundance of Milky Way-like galaxies in early universe Pieces of a distant asteroid are about to fall to Earth Nasa to return largest asteroid sample ever as UK helps with research Astronomers find abundance of Milky Way-like galaxies in early universe

Roberto De Zerbi’s inspired double substitution helped Brighton come from behind to sink Bournemouth 3-1. The Seagulls trailed to Dominic Solanke’s opportunist strike but went in level at half-time thanks to a Milos Kerkez own goal. Boss De Zerbi, who had made nine changes to his starting line-up from Thursday’s Europe League defeat by AEK Athens, sent on Ansu Fati and Kaoru Mitoma at half-time. And the pair had an instant impact, combining for an exquisite goal just 15 seconds into the second half, with Mitoma applying the finishing touch. Japan winger Mitoma then wrapped up the victory with a late header to leave the Cherries still winless from their first six league matches. De Zerbi also opted to rotate his goalkeepers, replacing Jason Steele with Bart Verbruggen, but that was a move which backfired after 25 minutes. The Dutchman hesitated on the edge of the area as he attempted to play the ball out. Ryan Christie charged down the clearance and the ball rolled to Solanke, who chipped the stranded keeper into an empty net from 20 yards. Brighton offered precious little for the majority of an uncharacteristically lacklustre first half until three minutes of stoppage time. A goalmouth scramble saw Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster have efforts cleared off the line before Billy Gilmour swung the ball back into the box. Kerkez climbed at the near post in a bid to clear the danger, only to glance the ball past goalkeeper Neto and into his own net. De Zerbi made his double change at the break, but not even the shrewd Italian could have foreseen quite the impact the pair would have. Bournemouth lost possession from the kick-off and Mitoma played the ball out to Barcelona loanee Fati on the left before continuing his run into the area. Fati’s ball back in was helped on by Mahmoud Dahoud into the path of Mitoma, who sidefooted it past Neto to cap a glorious Albion move. With Brighton now in firmly the ascendancy, Dunk headed narrowly wide from a corner before Fati failed to convert a cross from Simon Adingra. Bournemouth went in search of an equaliser and Antoine Semenyo had a low shot well kept out by Verbruggen. But Mitoma put Brighton further ahead when he nodded in Pervis Estupinan’s cross with 13 minutes left. Solanke almost scrambled one back for the Cherries from close range late on but his effort was cleared off the line by Albion skipper Dunk.

The Eredivisie match between rivals Ajax and Feyenoord has been called off in the second half after fans threw fireworks onto the field at the Johan Cruyff Arena

Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham maintained its unbeaten Premier League record under Ange Postecoglou by holding Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in the north London derby on Sunday

Friend also injured by same animal during the Pobla de Farnals festival in the Valencia region.

Europe and the United States are tied 10-10 as the decisive singles matches of the Solheim Cup get through the turn at Finca Cortesin in southern Spain

Usher has a new confession: The Grammy winner will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in Las Vegas

China has dominated the Asian Games for the last 40 years, and the 2023 edition will be the same

Top-ranked Ireland faced an acid test of its desire more than its ability at the Rugby World Cup against defending champion and three-time winner South Africa on Saturday

Liverpool host West Ham in the Premier League as the Reds look to continue their unbeaten start. Trent Alexander-Arnold was not fit enough to make the squad for the visit of West Ham as manager Jurgen Klopp made three changes from last week’s win at Wolves. After switching the entire XI for the Europa League win over LASK Klopp went back to his strongest line-up with the previously suspended Virgil van Dijk returning for Jarrell Quansah and Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, who impressed in Austria, coming in for Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota. West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen returned after missing their Europa League win over TSC Backa Topola through illness, allowing David Moyes to name the same side which lost to Manchester City last weekend. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

Azerbaijan captured the area in a flash operation and says it wants to integrate its ethnic Armenians.

Arsenal and Tottenham put their unbeaten Premier League records on the line as the two in-form rivals meet in the north London derby at the Emirates. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners and Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs have both mode fast starts to the season, and sit just off the top with four wins and a draw out of their first five matches. Postecoglou has made an impressive impact at Tottenham and has lifted the mood around the club ahead of his first taste of the derby. But new-look Tottenham face their biggest test of the season yet against a dangerous Arsenal attack, which thrashed PSV in their Champions League return in midweek. Follow live updates as Arsenal host Tottenham in the north London derby and get all the latest match odds here. Read More Is Arsenal vs Tottenham on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture Tottenham once again have hope – but Ange Postecoglou must learn from Arsenal lesson Ange Postecoglou points out the differences between himself and Mikel Arteta