The scientist also claimed that the composition of the meteorite’s extraterrestrial water was “very, very similar” to that of water on Earth.
In February 2021, a meteorite crashed into a driveway in a town in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The most recent report suggests that scientists have discovered extraterrestrial water in the meteorite. This may explain where the water in the vast oceans on Earth originated.
According to a report in The Independent, Ashley King, a researcher in the planetary materials group at the Natural History Museum, stated that approximately 12% of the sample consisted of water and that it was the least contaminated specimen ever collected.
The researcher also stated that the composition of the extraterrestrial water found on the meteorite is “extremely, extremely similar” to that of water on Earth.
According to The Independent, King stated at the British Science Festival that this is strong evidence that asteroids and bodies like Winchcombe contributed significantly to the formation of Earth’s oceans.
A meteorite is a solid fragment of an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its journey through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon.
King confirmed that the 0.5-kilogram space rock was not tainted by water and terrestrial materials because it was retrieved within 12 hours.
Now “Where did Earth’s water originate? ” is one of the most important questions in planetary science. And one of the most obvious routes is through comets containing large quantities of ice or asteroids. There is perpetual debate as to whether comets or asteroids were the primary sources.” King stated, as reported by Sky News.
However, the researcher explained that data from comet missions indicate that comet water is incompatible with Earth water. “The composition of the water in Winchcombe is a much better match, indicating that carbonaceous asteroids were most likely the primary source of water for the inner solar system and Earth,” he said.
According to King, the meteorite originated from an asteroid near Jupiter. It was formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago, and its journey to Earth took about 300,000 years.
