Overview

• University of Oxford researchers analyzed the enstatite chondrite meteorite LAR 12252, analogous to early Earth, using advanced XANES spectroscopy.
• The study found significant hydrogen sulfide locked within the meteorite's matrix, confirming it was intrinsic and not due to terrestrial contamination.
• This evidence supports the theory that Earth’s water formed naturally from hydrogen present in its original building materials, countering the asteroid-delivery hypothesis.
• The findings, published in the journal Icarus, suggest that habitable conditions on Earth could have emerged without external contributions from asteroids or comets.
• Implications extend to planetary habitability models, indicating that other planets may have the potential to develop water independently.