Solar System's Water Is Older Than the Sun

astroengine writes Next time you're swimming in the ocean, consider this: part of the water is older than the sun. So concludes a team of scientists who ran computer models comparing the ratios of hydrogen isotopes over time. Taking into account new insights that the solar nebula had less ionizing radiation than previously thought, the models show that at least some of the water found in the ocean, as well as in comets, meteorites and on the moon, predate the sun's birth.

Comments

Age of Preceding Supernova

[Roger W Moore]

The heavy elements on our planet and in your body were creation via fusion in another star, which has already long since died, exploded, and been recycled.

We can do better than that. Based on the current ratio of Uranium-235 and 238 which are created in roughly equal quantities by a supernova we can date the super nova preceding the solar system to about 6 billion years ago. It's also interesting to note that had intelligent life evolved a billion or more years earlier than it did that the uranium ore we dig out of the ground would be weapon's grade without any complex enrichment process required. So there might be a limit on intelligent life evolving too soon after the formation of a planet.

Re:Of course it does.

[UnknownSoldier]

I'm still trying to figure out how there was a day and night before the sun existed? :-)