An Amazing Discovery: The Largest Water Reservoir in the Universe, 140 Trillion Times Larger Than Earth's Oceans!

In an unprecedented scientific discovery, a team of astronomers announced the discovery of the largest and most distant water reservoir ever observed in the universe. This is a massive body of water vapor whose volume exceeds the combined volume of Earth's oceans by about 140 trillion times. The discovery, located more than 12 billion light-years away, changes our understanding of the existence of water in the early universe and suggests that these essential molecules for life may have been present since the earliest stages of galaxies.

The Cosmic Location of the Huge Water Reservoir

This giant reservoir is located around a quasar known as APM 08279+5255, a massive astronomical object emitting radiation with an energy greater than a thousand trillion suns. At the heart of this quasar is a supermassive black hole with a mass more than 20 billion times that of the Sun. The unique environment surrounding it creates the conditions for the existence of this enormous amount of water vapor, which was not expected at this early stage in the universe.

According to the study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, this discovery not only reveals the prevalence of water in the universe, but also sheds light on the role of water in shaping the environments surrounding quasars and the early stages of the universe's evolution.

Comparison with the Milky Way Galaxy

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains water vapor, but it is present in approximately 4,000 times less water vapor than the water surrounding the discovered quasar. Furthermore, most of the water in our galaxy is frozen inside planets and asteroids, while this new reservoir is characterized by being a hot gas, reaching temperatures of -53 degrees Celsius, which is warmer than what is typical of cosmic gas clouds.

How was this water reservoir discovered?

To observe this exceptional discovery, astronomers used infrared and millimeter-wave telescopes, most notably:

• Caltech's Millimeter/Submillimeter Array in Hawaii

• CARMAS Observatory in California

• Plateau de Beauvoir Array in the French Alps

The discovery began in 2010, when initial signs of water were found in the quasar APM 08279+5255. This prompted scientists to intensify their investigations using more precise instruments, confirming the presence of this giant reservoir after observing multiple spectral signatures indicating massive amounts of water vapor.

The Role of Water in the Evolution of Galaxies and Black Holes

The presence of these massive amounts of water, along with carbon monoxide, suggests that the gas surrounding the quasar may be a continuous source of fuel for the black hole, allowing it to grow to about six times its current size. However, the future of this gas remains uncertain. It may collapse to form new stars or be dissipated by the immense energy emitted by the quasar.