Overview

• University of Oxford scientists analyzed the enstatite chondrite meteorite LAR12252, which closely resembles Earth's composition 4.55 billion years ago.
• Using advanced XANES spectroscopy, researchers identified hydrogen sulfide intrinsic to the meteorite, ruling out terrestrial contamination.
• The study provides evidence that Earth's water originated from native hydrogen present in its building materials, rather than being delivered by asteroids.
• The findings suggest that habitable conditions on Earth and potentially other planets could arise naturally without extraterrestrial water sources.
• While the native water theory gains support, scientists continue to explore the potential contributions of asteroid impacts to Earth's early hydrogen inventory.