Scientists discover water source in outer space

 Scientists discover water source in outer space, three times greater than oceans of Earth

There’s been a big development in the search for life in the universe, after scientists discovered an enormous presence of water vapour. The new research focuses on a gas and dust disk surrounding a young star, which was observed using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Scientists looked into the gas and dust disk which was surrounding a young star and found water vapour in abundance. The hunt for life beyond Earth went a step further when scientists discovered water vapour in abundance in the universe.

In the latest research, the scientists focused on a gas and dust disk which was surrounding a young star. It was observed using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA). The star, named HL Tauri, is found 450 light-years away and surrounded by a staggering amount of vapour. In fact, it adds up to three times the volume of all the oceans on Earth, and it could mark the birthplace of planets. According to research published in Nature Astronomy, the volume of vapour could improve the chances that a planet is habitable once it forms there.

The way the amount of vapour around HL Tauri looks to be influencing the birth of new planets and the conditions there could mirror the conditions that were around when the Earth was forming 4.5 billion years ago. Stefano Facchini from the University of Milan is the lead author on the project and shared his excitement at seeing "an image of oceans of water vapour in the same region where a planet is likely forming." Water, as ever, has been fundamental to a number of new scientific developments over recent times. Scientists recently discovered water is slowly leaking down towards the Earth’s core from the surface.

Speaking about the discovery in a press release, Stefano Facchini, an astrophysicist at the University of Milan and study leader, said, “I had never imagined that we could capture an image of oceans of water vapour in the same region where a planet is likely forming." As per the research published in Nature Astronomy, the water vapour's volume can increase the chances of the planet being habitable after its formation. As per the scientists, the amount of water vapour present around HL Tauri appeared to have an influence over the birth of new planets. It is also likely that the conditions amid the vapour can be very similar to the conditions that were prevalent when the formation of Earth took place 4.5 billion years ago.

Speaking about his excitement at noticing the oceans of water vapour, Facchini said, “Our recent images reveal a substantial quantity of water vapour at a range of distances from the star that includes a gap where a planet could potentially be forming at the present time." In recent times, water has been fundamental for various scientific developments. Recently, it was also found by scientists that water has been leaking slowly from the surface to the core of the Earth. A scientist also previously found the oldest water ever discovered on Earth and decided the best course of action was, of course, to drink it.