Scientists find water in a galaxy 12.8 billion light-years away
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Presence of water is a sure way to search for alien life. Water in this galaxy is the farthest we have been able to detect presence of the life-sustaining liquid
Our constant search for answer to whether we are alone in the universe involves detection of water. The simple liquid has a great significance in finding life in space as it has cradled life on our very own planet. Water has been found and even predicted to be present elsewhere in out solar system but now scientists have found a galaxy that represents farthest distance from Earth where water has been found.
Scientists from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have found evidence of water in a galaxy named SPT0311-58. The galaxy is 12.8 billion light-years away from Earth.
The scientists used Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile to gaze at the galaxy. The galaxy is located in younger part of the universe and it is about 780 million years old. Considering universe is 13.8 billion years old, the galaxy is fairly young.
Lead investigator of the study has been quoted in media reports as saying that evidence of presence of carbon dioxide has also been found in this galaxy. The scientists have also found that stars in this galaxy have completed their life span relatively quickly. Considering oxygen comes from dying stars, this galaxy would have oxygen too. This also logically explains presence of water.
So should we fear aliens invading Earth because their star died out? Even if they are travelling at the speed of light (300,000 km per second) it will taken 12.8 billion years to reach us. It can hence be said that we are safe for now.