Massive Water Reservoir Found in Space, Triple the Size of Earth’s Oceans

The search for life beyond Earth advanced with a significant discovery of water vapor in space. In a recent study, scientists observed a gas and dust disk around a young star using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA).

The star, named HL Tauri, is located 450 light-years away, and researchers found a vast amount of water vapor surrounding it. The volume of water vapor observed was equivalent to three times the total water in Earth’s oceans, potentially marking the birthplace of a new planet.

Could water in space lead to habitable planets?
Study leader Stefano Facchini, an astrophysicist at the University of Milan, expressed his amazement in a press release, saying, “I never imagined we could capture an image of oceans of water vapor in the same region where a planet is likely forming.”

According to research published in *Nature Astronomy*, the sheer volume of water vapor could significantly enhance the possibility of the planet becoming habitable once formed.

The scientists also noted that the presence of this water vapor around HL Tauri might play a crucial role in the formation of new planets. Furthermore, they suggested that the conditions in the vapor-rich region could resemble those that existed during Earth’s formation about 4.5 billion years ago.

Facchini shared his excitement about the discovery, noting, “Our recent images reveal a significant quantity of water vapor at various distances from the star, including a gap where a planet could be forming right now.”

Water has recently been at the center of several scientific breakthroughs. Not long ago, researchers also discovered that water has been gradually moving from Earth’s surface to its core.