News Astronomy

Some planets might home brew their own water

Lab experiments show that hydrogen and rock can form large water stores

A large blue exoplanet looms in space with a distant star and smaller planet nearby.

Exoplanet K2-18b (illustrated with its star) may host a considerable amount of water. New experiments suggest a way such worlds could make lots of water internally.

Hubble/ESA, M. Kornmesser

By Javier Barbuzano

Some planets might produce their own water instead of relying on outside sources.

In laboratory experiments, researchers simulated extreme conditions found within certain exoplanets by blasting olivine — a mineral abundant in planetary interiors — with high-energy lasers in the presence of hydrogen gas.