What Created Earth's Oceans? Comet Offers New Clue
Kuiper belt comet has water that matches ours, study says.
Author: Ker Than
Source: National Geographic News
Published: October 5, 2011
It was a scientific mystery for a long time what is the origin of water in the Earth`s oceans. In the early beginning our planet was too hot to keep the water on its surface. In the second half of 20th century there were speculations that water from comets was the main resource of ancient ocean water. But, in 1980`s researches showed the differences in the chemical structure of Earth ocean water and water from many solar system comets. Recently, scientists finished the investigations of the Hartley 2 comet that originated from the region beyond the orbit of the planet Neptune. Surprisingly, water from Hartley 2 has the same chemical structure as Earth’s ocean water. It seems that the previous hypothesis would appear to be true: the ancient oceans were filled with water from comets and asteroids.
When I read this article, I was shocked! The water we drink and wash in every day is from comets and asteroids! If it wasn’t for those asteroids, there wouldn’t be life on Earth! Maybe there’s life just like Earth’s on other planets those comets hit. Who knows? Live and learn!
Bibliography: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/10/111005-comets-earth-water-oceans-kuiper-belt-nature-science/
This is very interesting, isn't it? there are other theories that the early bacteria that were on Earth began to produce their own food by using the energy from the sun and Carbon Dioxide to produce Oxygen which later changed the atmosphere and to bring about the water cycle, but this is just as likely. :) Thanks for sharing. Great job!
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