In the Nature parner journal Communications Chemistry (vol. 9):
Fisher, T. Ferriere, R. Potential metabolic viability on asteroid chemistry 54 s42004-025-01860-0
How’s about an appetizer for alien appetites (or not). In this research report, Fisher et al. describe their investigations of life pathways that might use carbonaceous chondrite material (some asteroids and meteorites) as “food”. Yes, the carbonaceous chondrite materials (and even some ordinary chondrites) contain a percentage of carbon, including organic carbon molecules, and varying amounts of water. Ryugu, for one, certainly serves the purpose: a sample of Ryugu, allowed to be exposed to free air, was rapidly colonized by Earth microbes.