New research suggests that supernovas, resulting from the explosive deaths of the earliest stars in the universe, may have created vast amounts of water, possibly enabling the existence of life as early as 100 million years after the Big Bang. These findings, based on simulations of short-lived, massive stars, point to water forming within dense clouds of hydrogen and oxygen left behind by stellar explosions, raising questions about the origins of water in the cosmos and its potential role in early galaxy formation.
Formation of Water in Early Stars
According to the study uploaded to arXiv on January 9, simulations were conducted on early stars, known as population III stars, which were estimated to have masses around 200 times that of the Sun.
The researchers indicated that the dense material expelled during supernovas likely created favourable conditions for water molecules to form, with concentrations speculated to be up to 30 times higher than what has been observed in interstellar gas clouds within the Milky Way.
As reported by Live Science, the study noted that this process might have introduced water as a significant component of the first galaxies, potentially laying the groundwork for the development of life. However, direct observations of these early stars remain absent, making it challenging to verify the findings or understand their broader implications.
Challenges to Existing Theories
This theory challenges long-held views on how water accumulated in the universe. While it is widely believed that water formed over billions of years through the gradual combination of hydrogen and oxygen from stellar processes, the new research implies water could have existed much earlier.
Questions about why current water levels in the universe appear lower than expected have also been raised. Previous hypotheses, such as a cosmic “drying-out” phase, have been suggested, though no definitive causes have been identified. The research team acknowledged that ionisation and other astrophysical processes could have disrupted the water molecules formed during this period.
While water is critical for life on Earth, the researchers emphasised that its presence in the early universe does not necessarily indicate the likelihood of extraterrestrial life. Further studies and observations are expected to provide clarity on this theory’s validity and its implications for understanding cosmic evolution.