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How Water Forms in Interstellar Space at 10K

KentuckyFC writes "Water is the most abundant solid material in space. But although astronomers see it on planets, moons, in comets and in interstellar clouds, nobody has been able to show how it forms. In theory, it should form easily when oxygen and atomic hydrogen meet. The problem is that there is not enough of it floating around as gas in interstellar dust clouds. So instead, the thinking is that water must form when atomic hydrogen interacts with frozen solid oxygen on the surface of dust grains in these clouds. Now Japanese astronomers have demonstrated this process for the first time in the lab in conditions that simulate interstellar space. That's cool because all the water in the solar system, including almost every drop you drink on Earth today, must have formed in exactly this way more than 5 billion years ago in a pre-solar dustcloud (abstract)."

5 of 270 comments (clear)

  1. nig6a by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
  2. NOT EVERY DROP !!! by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 0, Troll

    Not every single drop of the water we use today is formed that way. There are lots of other ways water is formed.

    For example: Volcanic activity

    Whenever there's some volcanic activity, you see steam coming up. Those are "NEW" water, as Hydrogen streaming out of the earth crust, it mixes with Oxygen in the air, and walla ... H2O !

    I bet the Kilauea volcano in Hawai'i has given us quite a number of drops of H2O over the years. :)

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    Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
  3. Re:If that is true by Artuir · · Score: -1, Troll

    Most of the people here have better things to do than participate in the grand delusions you call religion. Go back to sleep and leave the intelligent discussion to the adults.

  4. Finally! by jav1231 · · Score: 0, Troll

    I'm so glad that's settled.

    I was thinking the other day, how am I supposed to just go through life without knowing how water is formed in space?

  5. Re:I agree that we should toss christianity by tjstork · · Score: -1, Troll

    Sorry, you're just a slave to christian propaganda.

    Not nearly as much as you are a slave to your bigotry. I mean, I could see hating christians if you were a faggit or something. So, you may as well get that out on the table. Are you gay?

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