Featured Image Credit: Dawam Syah/500px/Robert Brook/Getty Images – A Massive Discovery: 140 Trillion Times the Water in Earth’s Oceans Located in the Universe

When we think of outer space, we often think of vast emptiness, sprinkled with stars, galaxies, and the occasional asteroid. Rarely do we associate space with water. However, a groundbreaking discovery made last year has proven that water can indeed be found in the far reaches of the universe, and in quantities that far surpass anything found on Earth.

In 2011, two teams of astronomers made a remarkable discovery – they detected the largest and farthest reservoir of water ever found in the universe. This body of water is estimated to be the equivalent of 140 trillion times all the water in the world’s oceans. Just imagine that for a moment – 140 trillion times the amount of water found on our own planet.

What is even more fascinating is the location of this massive body of water. It surrounds a huge black hole known as a quasar, which is more than 12 billion light-years away. This means that the observations made by astronomers have provided a glimpse into a time when the universe was just 1.6 billion years old.

Matt Bradford, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, remarked on the significance of this discovery, stating that it showcases the pervasive nature of water throughout the universe, even in its earliest stages. The fact that water vapor was detected in such abundance in the early universe is truly remarkable, as it challenges our preconceptions about the distribution of water in space.

The quasar, known as APM 08279+5255, harbors a black hole that is 20 billion times more massive than the sun and emits energy equivalent to a thousand trillion suns. This intense energy output is what allows for the detection of the water vapor surrounding the quasar, spread out across hundreds of light-years.

The discovery of this colossal body of water in the universe sheds light on the complex and diverse nature of space. It reminds us that the cosmos is full of surprises and that there is still so much left to uncover and understand. Who knows what other incredible discoveries await us in the depths of space?

So next time you look up at the night sky, just remember that hidden among the stars and galaxies, there may be vast reservoirs of water waiting to be discovered. The universe truly is a wondrous and mysterious place.