JAXA, the Japanese space agency, has reported finding, as hoped for, particles inside the Hayabusa spacecraft’s sample collecting capsule which it believes are from the asteroid Itokawa. Hayabusa returned to Earth last June after a seven-year journey to the asteroid and back.
According to different articles though, there seems to be some confusion as to what was found. Popular Science, The Daily Galaxy and The Telegraph are saying that the particles might be evidence of extraterrestrial life… but other articles from Japan such as this one mention only that the particles are likely to be extraterrestrial (from the asteroid itself) and not Earthly contaminants and might simply provide clues to the origin of the solar system and life. Two very different things.
So which is it? Going by past experience, it is most likely the latter, information which was misinterpreted and distributed by other media. But we should learn more as the analysis continues and more specific details are made public.
Addendum (October 9, 2010):
Another new article in The Mainichi Daily News in Japan indicates that the particles are mostly rocky in nature, but are diverse in composition.