A meteorite that landed in England last year may hold clues to where the water on Earth comes from.
The National History Museum in London found that the water in the meteorite was similar to the water on Earth. Their study, which was published in the journal Science Advances, supports the theory that Earth had a large amount of water from asteroids.
A research fellow at the museum told The Guardian that asteroids were the main source of water in the Earth's oceans.
The meteorite had a carbon and water content of two percent and 11 percent, respectively.
It's a starter kit for the building blocks of life, as well as bolstering the theory that organic materials and water were delivered by meteorites.
The majority of meteorites break apart before they fall to Earth. The ones that are recovered are usually compromised by the Earth and its atmosphere, meaning scientists can't be certain what they find inside.
"CM chondrites have 'Earth-like' water but these rocks alter and degrade within days or weeks of being on Earth, and so they could just be Earth-like because they have absorbed rain water or something," said a planetary astronomer.
Thanks to the help of public reports and footage from the UK Fireball Alliance, that was not a problem.
"Witchcombe is one of the most pristine meteorites available for analysis, offering scientists a glimpse back through time to the original composition of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago," King said.
They're just starting to uncover the secrets inside the meteorite, according to Daly.
He told CNN that there are many more secrets in the stone.
The findings don't prove that Earth got its water off-world, but they do show that the theory holds water.
Scientists produce powerful material in meteorites.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
