On the origin of species

The origin of life debate has been reignited (maybe all the sparks flying around yesterday had something to do with it?). Researchers detected water on the surface of an asteroid in space for the first time, providing more evidence that the life-sustaining liquid first arrived on Earth from outer space.

More details: As part of their research, scientists from NASA and the German Space Agency studied four silicate-rich asteroids using data gathered by a now-retired plane called SOFIA that was outfitted with an infrared telescope.

• They found two of the four asteroids exhibited a specific wavelength of light that indicates the presence of water molecules on their surface, with an estimated ratio of one 12-ounce bottle of water per cubic meter of soil.

💥 The impact (literally): While water molecules have previously been detected in asteroid samples returned to Earth, the latest discovery marks the first time they’ve been found in space, lending more credence to the theory that water – and potentially life itself – came to our planet billions of years ago via meteors.

Which begs the question – if water did actually come from space, and humans are 60% made-up of water, would that technically make us aliens?