WEB DESK: You might think that gold and diamonds are the most valuable things in the world, but believe it or not, water is the most precious resource on Earth. The role of water in the formation and evolution of our planet is its own story, but where and when did water arrive on Earth?
Scientists believe that water appeared on Earth about four billion years ago. Researchers from the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Curtin University in the United Arab Emirates and Khalifa University analysed ancient crystals found in Jack Hills, in the Mid West region of Western Australia. They examined the age of tiny zircon crystals and their oxygen isotopes.
Zircon crystals can be preserved through geological processes like erosion and metamorphism, making them valuable in geological studies.
Because zircon can contain uranium and thorium, it is often used in radiometric dating to determine the age of rocks.
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Moreover, the research team was able to determine the history of the hydrological cycle from these crystals, a continuous process through which water circulates the Earth, maintaining ecosystems and supporting life on our planet.
What they found were exceptionally light isotopic signatures indicating that they dated back four billion years. Such light oxygen isotopes are typically the result of hot, fresh water-altering rocks several kilometers below the Earth’s surface.
Dr. Hugo Olierook, a co-author of the study from Curtin University’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said that this discovery is important for understanding how Earth formed and how life came into existence.
Dr. Olierook said, “This discovery not only sheds light on Earth’s early history but also suggests how terrestrial and freshwater facilitated the flourishing of life in less than 600 million years after the planet’s formation.”
Evidence of fresh water deep within the Earth challenges the prevailing theory that four billion years ago, the Earth was completely covered by oceans.
These findings mark an important step in our understanding of Earth’s early history and open doors for further exploration into the origins of life.
