Water, the basis of life on Earth, is one of the most abundant molecules in the universe. Its simple composition of hydrogen and oxygen is explained by the origin of these elements: hydrogen was formed after the Big Bang, and oxygen was born in the cores of massive stars. Traditionally, it was believed that the amount of water in the universe gradually increased with each new generation of stars. However, a new study questions this theory, write Phys.
The scientists modeled the explosions of the first generation of stars, Population III stars, which were composed only of hydrogen and helium. These stars have not been directly observed, but they were likely extremely massive. In their work, the researchers also considered less massive, metal-poor stars that formed in the first star clusters. The explosions of these stars as supernovae and pair-unstable supernovae greatly enriched the surrounding environment with water.
According to simulations, the molecular clouds left behind by these explosions had water concentrations 10 to 30 times higher than those in the Milky Way today. This means that water was widespread in space until 200 million years after the Big Bang, creating the conditions for life to form.
Whether life arose so early remains an open question. It is known that numerous astrophysical processes could destroy water molecules. Therefore, despite the early formation of water, the Universe may have gone through a period of "dryness" until the next generation of stars (Populations II and I) replenished its reserves.
The researchers' findings suggest that a significant portion of the water in our galaxy may have come from the first stars. The molecules, which formed more than 13 billion years ago, could have played a key role in shaping the early conditions for the emergence of life.
The study poses new challenges for astronomers: to find evidence for the existence of water in the early Universe and to understand how much it could have influenced the evolution of the Universe, in particular the possibility of the emergence of life in the earliest eras.
Thank you for being with us! Monobank for the support of the ElitExpert editorial office.
