New study reveals how supernovas brought water to universe millions of years after Big Bang

THE VEIL NEBULA: A delicate, lace-like supernova remnant, 2,100 light-years away, showcasing the beauty of a star's demise, with tendrils of gas and dust glowing in the dark. (Representative Image: NASA)

Scientists have been searching for water beyond Earth for a long time. It's vital to life as we understand it. New research says water emerged earlier than expected. Just 200 million years after the Big Bang, it may have formed. This revelation contradicts previous theories on how water came to be.

Dr. Daniel Whalen led the research at the University of Portsmouth. He says, as reported by The Guardian, that water showed up shortly after the earliest stars exploded. Oxygen was shot into space by these explosions, which are called Population III supernovae. Water molecules were formed when hydrogen and oxygen interacted. Water used to be thought to have formed billions of years later by scientists. The timeline of water in space is changed by this discovery.

Water Formation Triggered by Supernovae
There were only simple elements at the beginning of the universe. There was lithium, helium, hydrogen, and there were traces of other elements. There was no oxygen, so there was no water yet. When the first stars exploded into supernovae, it was not the same.

This process consisted of two types of supernovae. The destruction of a massive star leads to core-collapse supernovae. When the internal pressure of a star decreases, pair-instability supernovae take place. Oxygen was spread into space by both events. In dense clouds, this oxygen teamed up with hydrogen to create water molecules.

Although the quantity of water was small, it was highly dense. In later times, these clouds have acted as star and planet incubators. The water contained in some ancient gas clouds has been equivalent to that found today in the solar system. This suggests that early in cosmic history, there could have developed water-rich worlds.

Altering the Life Search
The discovery delays the timeline for planet formation. The building blocks of life appeared earlier, scientists say. This puts in question that life emerged billions of years ago.

Scientists used advanced computer simulations to confirm their results. These simulations duplicated the formation of water and early supernovae. Direct evidence can be given by future science using telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope. This would revolutionize how astronomers search for life if confirmed.

Dr. Whalen spoke about the significance of this discovery. "Much earlier than we anticipated, conditions for life existed," he said. Life may have had additional time to develop had there been water shortly following the Big Bang. This enhances the possibilities for finding extraterrestrial life.