Water may have formed earlier than previously believed

New simulations indicate that water in the universe may have formed much earlier than previously believed, just 100 to 200 million years after the Big Bang. This is over 500 million years earlier than earlier estimates. The research suggests that the first generation of stars contributed to the creation of water before the first galaxies formed. These stars released oxygen during supernova explosions, which helped create conditions for water to form in dense gas clumps. The findings could change our understanding of when habitable worlds emerged. Future observations may detect emissions from water-rich planets, potentially confirming the existence of primordial water in the universe.