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New Study Finds Earth's Water Originated from Native Hydrogen, Not Asteroids

Oxford researchers reveal groundbreaking evidence that Earth's water formed naturally from hydrogen in its primordial materials, challenging the asteroid-delivery theory.

A rare kind of meteorite known as enstatite chondrite resembles Earth's composition roughly 4.5 billion years ago.
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Overview

  • A University of Oxford study analyzed the enstatite chondrite meteorite LAR 12252, which shares a composition similar to early Earth, to investigate the origin of water.
  • Using advanced XANES spectroscopy, researchers identified hydrogen sulfide concentrated in uncontaminated regions of the meteorite, confirming the hydrogen's native origin.
  • The findings contradict the long-held view that water was delivered to Earth by asteroids, suggesting instead that Earth's building blocks were rich in hydrogen from the start.
  • Regions of the meteorite showing terrestrial contamination, such as rusted cracks, contained little to no hydrogen, reinforcing the conclusion that the detected hydrogen is intrinsic to the meteorite.
  • Published in the journal Icarus, the study has significant implications for understanding planetary habitability and the conditions necessary for life formation on other planets.