Researchers from the University of Oxford have made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges widely held beliefs about the origins of water and the evolution of our planet. The team analyzed a rare type of meteorite known as an enstatite chondrite, which dates back to around 4.6 billion years ago, and found evidence that early Earth was home to more hydrogen than previously thought.
The researchers used a technique called X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy, which requires a particle accelerator facility, to detect the presence of hydrogen in the meteorite. They discovered that the majority of the hydrogen contained within the meteorite was intrinsic, rather than due to contamination, suggesting that early Earth would have had sufficient hydrogen to form water molecules.
This finding calls into question the theory that hydrogen arrived on Earth from asteroids that bombarded a dry, rocky planet incapable of supporting life. Instead, it suggests that the material that formed Earth naturally contained a lot of hydrogen and oxygen, which could have led to the formation of water molecules.
The study’s lead author, Tom Barrett, explained that the detection was only possible due to the advanced technique used. “We’ve demonstrated in this study that actually the material which formed Earth in the first instance did contain a lot of hydrogen and oxygen,” he said.
While the discovery is significant, it does not necessarily mean that life would have evolved sooner. The habitability of a planet may depend more on its evolution than the material it is formed from. However, the study provides vital evidence to support the theory that water on Earth is native, rather than originating from terrestrial contamination.
The researchers plan to analyze more meteorites to determine exactly how much hydrogen was present on early Earth and how much was delivered from external sources. The study sheds new light on our understanding of early Earth and its potential for supporting life.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/17/science/origin-of-water-study-scli-intl/index.html