Revolutionary Meteorite Found in Antarctica: A Game-Changer for Understanding Earth’s Ancient History

Recent findings about meteorites may change how we understand Earth’s water source. Researchers discovered hydrogen sulfide in a type of meteorite that resembles the materials that formed Earth. This suggests that hydrogen could have been part of the early Earth, implying it might have formed with the ingredients for water, rather than relying solely on impacts from asteroids and comets. These findings were shared on April 16 in the journal Icarus.

Traditionally, scientists thought that Earth’s water came from impacts by outer solar system objects. The way our solar system is organized makes such collisions less likely. For instance, Jupiter’s gravity plays a major role in steering comets towards the inner solar system, according to Alessandro Morbidelli, a planetary formation expert not involved in the study.

A 2020 study showed that enstatite chondrites, a type of meteorite, might not contain water but do have hydrogen. This hydrogen, when reacting with oxygen early in Earth’s history, could have formed water. The study’s co-author, James Bryson from the University of Oxford, and his team suspected the hydrogen was attached to sulfur in these meteorites.

Using advanced techniques, they examined a meteorite found in Antarctica in 2012 and discovered more hydrogen than expected, indicating that this hydrogen sulfide could have contributed to water formation on Earth.

According to Bryson, this means that rocky planets, including those in other systems, might naturally hold much of the hydrogen needed to create oceans. This finding suggests that suitable conditions for life could be more common than we previously thought.

However, not everyone agrees with these conclusions. Conel Alexander, a meteoriticist at the Carnegie Institution, warns that enstatite chondrites could be contaminated by Earth’s water. When meteorites fall through the atmosphere, they can interact with water and oxygen, potentially altering their composition. Alexander suggests that to really verify this hydrogen’s origin, scientists need a fresh enstatite chondrite that hasn’t been exposed to Earth’s atmosphere.

This research opens interesting questions about other planetary bodies. If similar meteoritic materials exist, it raises the possibility that many rocky planets in the universe might have the resources for water and potentially life. With ongoing advancements in planetary science, our understanding of where Earth’s water came from may continue to evolve.

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