Water formed in universe earlier than previously believed

New research suggests that water may have formed in the universe 100 to 200 million years after the Big Bang, much earlier than previously believed. This challenges earlier theories about the timeline of life’s potential origins. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, indicates that early supernovas created oxygen, which combined with hydrogen to form water. Researchers focused on the earliest supernova explosions to understand how water first appeared in space. The findings imply that early galaxies may have contained water from their formation. If confirmed by future observations, this could change the understanding of when conditions for life became possible in the universe.