Earth's Water Is Older Than the Sun

While theories about the origins of water are still up for debate, studies of the early solar sytem have shown water is older than the Sun itself. But how old is water and how did it get on Earth?

By Carl Engelking
Nov 20, 2023 2:00 PMNov 20, 2023 7:55 PM
Sun Water Flowers - Shutterstock
(Credit: maradonna 8888/Shutterstock)

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The sun, at 4.6 billion years old, predates all the other bodies in our solar system. But it turns out that much of the water we swim in and drink here on Earth is even older. Up to half the water now on Earth was inherited from an abundant supply of interstellar ice as our sun formed. That means our solar system’s moisture wasn’t the result of local conditions in the proto-planetary disk, but rather a regular feature of planetary formation — raising hopes that life could indeed exist elsewhere in the universe. 

Where Did Water on the Earth Come From?

Water through time: Ices from the parent molecular cloud are incorporated into planet-forming disks around young stars, and eventually into the planets themselves. (Credit: Bill Saxton, NSF/AUI/NRAO)

The origin of Earth's water has long been a subject of scientific inquiry and debate. Initially, scientists believed in the asteroid theory. However, recent studies suggest that Earth's water may have originated from the solar nebula. 

The Asteroid Theory

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