4 ms·

Read the article.

by maaku 10y ago

Read the article.

ZeroGravitas 10y ago
I had the same belief and question as the parent post you replied to. I've now read the article for a second time, and it seems to only discuss the extrateresstrial half of the water.
sambeau 10y ago
I did read the article. I have now read the article again. Nowhere does it answer my question. I can think of a number of natural mechanisms that would create water e.g. fire but none that could create the massive amounts of water to fill half of the oceans. Was it life? If it was formed on Earth then where did all the hydrogen (and oxygen) come from? If you look at the Wikipedia page about it it mostly dodges the question: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_water_on_Earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_water_on_Earth So, in case anyone here is more knowledgeable about the subject I'd be fascinated (and grateful) to here what the current theory is.
- Udo 10y ago
  Hydrogen is very, very abundant, so the creation of water is always going to be a thing as long as there is oxygen. We also know that the period referred to as the Late Heavy Bombardment is likely to have showered the already formed Earth with water-rich ice from the outer solar system. Most of this water would be older than the sun. The article only mentions the Great Oxygenation Event, but it's worth noting that biological organisms today are breaking down and creating water all the time as an essential part of their metabolism. It's not inconceivable that a sizeable portion of water was originally synthesised out of rocky compounds and atmospheric gases (such as methane) by archaic organisms. All in all, we have identified many different sources for water on Earth, signs point to all of them being a factor. We're just not sure how large the individual factors are, but many people consider ice from the Late Heavy Bombardment to be the biggest one.
  - madaxe_again 10y ago
    I think you're reading a different article to the rest of us? Nowhere does it mention the Great Oxygenation Event.
    - Udo 10y ago
      For reference, sambeau linked to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_water_on_Earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_water_on_Earth - and specifically asked about more info on that. I know it was meant as a snarky comment, but yes, we're talking different article here.

Read the article.

by maaku 10y ago

Read the article.

I had the same belief and question as the parent post you replied to. I've now read the article for a second time, and it seems to only discuss the extrateresstrial half of the water.

sambeau 10y ago

I did read the article. I have now read the article again. Nowhere does it answer my question. I can think of a number of natural mechanisms that would create water e.g. fire but none that could create the massive amounts of water to fill half of the oceans. Was it life? If it was formed on Earth then where did all the hydrogen (and oxygen) come from? If you look at the Wikipedia page about it it mostly dodges the question: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_water_on_Earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_water_on_Earth So, in case anyone here is more knowledgeable about the subject I'd be fascinated (and grateful) to here what the current theory is.

Udo 10y ago
Hydrogen is very, very abundant, so the creation of water is always going to be a thing as long as there is oxygen. We also know that the period referred to as the Late Heavy Bombardment is likely to have showered the already formed Earth with water-rich ice from the outer solar system. Most of this water would be older than the sun. The article only mentions the Great Oxygenation Event, but it's worth noting that biological organisms today are breaking down and creating water all the time as an essential part of their metabolism. It's not inconceivable that a sizeable portion of water was originally synthesised out of rocky compounds and atmospheric gases (such as methane) by archaic organisms. All in all, we have identified many different sources for water on Earth, signs point to all of them being a factor. We're just not sure how large the individual factors are, but many people consider ice from the Late Heavy Bombardment to be the biggest one.
- madaxe_again 10y ago
  I think you're reading a different article to the rest of us? Nowhere does it mention the Great Oxygenation Event.
  - Udo 10y ago
    For reference, sambeau linked to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_water_on_Earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_water_on_Earth - and specifically asked about more info on that. I know it was meant as a snarky comment, but yes, we're talking different article here.