One further puzzle is that the amino acids found in meteorites ( which are assumed to be similar to those of the primitive earth ) have been modified by a process called methylation into a form that is biologically useless .
Meteorites can contain thousands of organic molecules , including amino acids .
陨星可蕴含成千上万的有机分子,包括氨基酸。
Smash one of these small planets open and the fragments from the centre will form metallic meteorites .
打碎这样的一个小行星,其核心部分的碎片将形成金属陨星。
The mistake previous researchers made , therefore , was thinking of the methylated amino acids of meteorites as ingredients of life .
所以,此前的研究者错误的认为陨星中的甲基化氨基酸就是生命的成分。
Analysis of the chemistry of metallic meteorites suggests they come from more than 60 different small planets that have broken up over the solar system 's history .