Huge amounts of water found on moon in major breakthrough

Experts have discovered new water reserves from samples taken by the Chinese lunar mission "Chang'e 5" from the moon dirt sample they had brought back in 2020. This discovery comes as scientists step up their efforts to locate sources of life in space.

This might be a significant development since it would enable astronauts to use the moon as a base to carry out exploratory missions and utilise the water as needed.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Geoscience's in the research paper "A solar wind-derived water reservoir on the Moon hosted by impact glass beads".

The 35 samples were randomly selected from lunar soil that contained water in tiny, multicoloured glass beads smaller than hair. In addition, scientists think that the moon has a sizable frozen water reservoir.

These beads are countless and have a large water-carrying capacity. It is still unknown how water will behave in space, though.

Previous studies conducted on the subject did not explain the reserve points and how the water is stored on the moon, but experts hope there must be a water storage process on the moon.

The glass beads are formed when the meteoroids hit the moon, turn solid and join the moon soil just after throwing up hot molten droplets. They then absorb the water and like a sponge and initiate a water cycle on the soil of the moon. Some of the water also goes to space, according to scientists.

The findings in the study are crucial for astronauts as they intend to live on the moon to extensively study the other objects and characteristics of space and celestial bodies.

Water could be taken out from these solid rocks by melting them and further research is needed to further determine whether this extracted water would be drinkable.

According to NASA, it had intended to send a lunar mission by 2025 to study nearby planets.