NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist Matt Bradford, who oversaw one of the research teams, described the environment surrounding the quasar as "very unique in that it's producing this huge mass of water." It's further evidence that water has existed throughout the universe since the beginning of time.

A Journey to the Edge of the Universe

Astronomers have discovered the largest and most remote water reservoir ever discovered, located about 12 billion light-years from Earth, in a universe full of mysteries. The stellar quasar APM 08279+5255 is surrounded by this cosmic ocean, which is an area where a supermassive black hole consumes matter and emits tremendous amounts of energy. The enormity of the reservoir is what really astounds this discovery. According to scientists, its water volume is 140 trillion times that of all the oceans on Earth combined. This water, which spans hundreds of light-years and swirls close to a black hole 20 billion times the mass of our sun, exists as vapor rather than the blue oceans or vapor clouds that we see on Earth.

Why Is This Discovery Important?

Water, a necessary molecule for life, was already widely available soon after the Big Bang, as evidenced by the discovery of such a large amount of water so far from Earth—when the universe was less than two billion years old. This changes our understanding of how life's building blocks are distributed throughout cosmic time and calls into question the long-held notion that complex molecules like water only became prevalent much later in the universe's lifespan. Water may have formed as early as 100 to 200 million years after the Big Bang, according to new research, which is significantly earlier than previously believed. This was made possible by the supernovae, or explosions of the universe's first stars, which produced oxygen that, in cold, dense areas of space, could combine with hydrogen to form water vapor. The first locations for water formation were formed when the oxygen and hydrogen emitted by these early supernovae gathered together due to gravity. Water was a crucial component of early cosmic structures, as these water-rich clumps later gave rise to the second generation of stars and perhaps the first planets. Water was not only present but also plentiful enough to affect the chemical evolution of the early universe, as simulations reveal that the amount of water formed soon after these first supernovae could be enormous—equivalent to hundreds of Earth masses in some cases.

Water: A Universal Thread

Water may have formed as early as 100 to 200 million years after the Big Bang, according to new research, which is significantly earlier than previously believed. This was made possible by the supernovae, or explosions of the universe's first stars, which produced oxygen that, in cold, dense areas of space, could combine with hydrogen to form water vapor. This moves the water formation timeline closer to the cosmic dawn, which occurred before the first galaxies were formed. The first locations for water formation were formed when the oxygen and hydrogen emitted by these early supernovae gathered together due to gravity. Water was a crucial component of early cosmic structures, as these water-rich clumps later gave rise to the second generation of stars and perhaps the first planets.