Absolutely Massive 12-Billion-Year-Old Body of Water Found Floating in Space
Scientists have discovered the universe’s largest water reserve, located in space and estimated to be 12 billion years old. It dwarfs all the water on Earth and is approximately 140 trillion times larger than the Earth’s seas. Found near a quasar, a massive black hole consuming others, the reservoir is too distant to be seen with a microscope, as the universe was only 1.6 billion years old when it formed.
Quasars like APM 08279+5255 release tremendous energy, generating electromagnetic waves as gas and dust fall into their cores. The quasar studied by Matt Bradford’s team has a black hole 20 billion times larger than the sun, emitting energy equivalent to a thousand trillion suns. Spectral analysis of the water provided insights into its density.
On Earth, the ocean holds 97.3% of water, followed by glaciers and polar ice, accounting for over 2%. Groundwater, sourced from drilling into the Earth’s porous layers, provides most drinking water. While some nations have considered harvesting icebergs for fresh water, it’s often deemed impractical due to cost.
