- A group of scientists have discovered how water was formed in the universe millions of years after the Big Bang
- The scientists stated that water molecules began forming shortly after what they called the first supernovae explosions
- According to the work published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the explosions created heavy elements, such as oxygen, required for water to exist
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Researchers have discovered that water formed in the universe several million years after the Big Bang.
In the research work published in the journal, Nature Astronomy, the scientists traced the time water molecules began forming in the universe.
The scientists said water formed several million years after the Big Bang. Photo credit: Getty Images/Adastra and changyu lu.Source: Getty Images
The study was led by Dr Daniel Whalen of the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation.
How did water form in the universe?
According to the discovery, water has been present in the universe since 100-200 million years after the Big Bang.
The simulations used for the research show that water molecules started forming in the universe shortly after what the scientists called the supernovae explosions.
They stated that these supernovae explosions were essential for the creation of heavy elements such as oxygen, which are required for water to exist.
According to them, there was no water in the universe before the supernovae explosions.
They insist that the reason there was no water before the explosions was because there was no oxygen.
The study found that it was the supernovae explosion that produced oxygen, which helped form water molecules in the universe.
Dr Whalen said:
“Before the first stars exploded, there was no water in the universe because there was no oxygen. Only very simple nuclei survived the Big Bang – hydrogen, helium, lithium and trace amounts of barium and boron. Oxygen, forged in the hearts of these supernovae, combined with hydrogen to form water, paving the way for the creation of the essential elements needed for life.”
According to Dr Whalen, what they found implied that the conditions necessary for the formation of life were in place way earlier than we ever imagined.
He noted:
“This implies the conditions necessary for the formation of life were in place way earlier than we ever imagined – it’s a significant step forward in our understanding of the early universe.
“Although the total water masses were modest, they were highly concentrated in the only structures capable of forming stars and planets. And that suggests that planetary discs rich in water could form at cosmic dawn, before even the first galaxies.”
Scientists share information about Asteroid 2024 YR4
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that there is an asteroid which has been detected by scientists who are studying its possibility of colliding with Earth.
The asteroid is known as the Asteroid 2024 YR4 and it has a 2.2% chance of hitting our planet on December 22, 2032.
However, scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are still observing the asteroid.
Source: TheTalk.NG
