Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Scientists have discovered a massive amount of water vapor in space, surrounding a young star named HL Tauri, located 450 light-years away.
The discovery was made using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a powerful observatory that focuses on gas and dust surrounding stars.
The amount of water vapor found is equivalent to three times the total volume of Earth's oceans, indicating a significant potential for planetary formation.
Researchers suggest that this water vapor could be part of the process of forming a new planet, possibly contributing to the planet’s future habitability.
The conditions in the water vapor cloud around HL Tauri are thought to resemble those during Earth's formation 4.5 billion years ago, providing insights into how habitable planets might develop.
The presence of such a large amount of water vapor around the star increases the likelihood that any forming planet could have conditions suitable for life.
Stefano Facchini, an astrophysicist at the University of Milan and study leader, expressed surprise at capturing an image of such a large amount of water vapor, a key element in planet formation.
Water has been central to many recent scientific findings, from the discovery of water vapor in space to evidence of water leaking from Earth's surface to its core. This new finding reinforces water’s importance in planetary development and habitability research.