Regardless of what Wikipedia says, chemists distinguish between molecules and atoms. Diatomic oxygen is extremely rare in the universe, because it's extremely

Regardless of what Wikipedia says, chemists distinguish between molecules and atoms. Diatomic oxygen is extremely rare in the universe, because it's extremely unstable. Oxygen would rather be bonded to pretty much anything rather than itself, including hydrogen. [citation: go burn some hydrogen]. It's common round these parts due to some rather bizarre nonequilibrium chemistry [aka life]. What we know about the prevalence of various molecules is a combination of what we know about the prevalence of atoms combined with what is thermodynamically stable. It goes hydrogen, water, methane, ammonia, carbon monoxide, I think? At this point it depends on local conditions, temperature and so forth, but the stability of water combined with the prevalence of oxygen makes it basically unassailable as the second most common molecule after H2. Can you see why instead of "forcing someone to provide references" it would be better to ask someone nicely for references?