Astonishing amounts of liquid water have been found on Mars! Why are humans so persistent in finding water in space?

Popular Science Times reporter Chen Jie Shi

In the grand journey of human exploration of the universe, finding traces of water has always been a vital task.

On August 13, a new study pointed out that there is a pore and crack area filled with liquid water deep inside Mars, with an astonishing amount of liquid water reserves; on July 23, my country's scientific research team discovered for the first time the mineral ULM-1 rich in water molecules in the Chang'e 5 lunar samples... Why are humans so persistent in finding water in space?

The answer is actually very simple - water is the source of life, and there can be life where there is water.

"On Earth, water is a key element in maintaining the existence and reproduction of life." Liu Yong, China's aerospace science ambassador and researcher at the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told Science Times that when humans turn their eyes to the vast universe, the presence or absence of water becomes an important indicator for judging whether a planet has life or whether it is suitable for future human survival and development.

According to current scientific discoveries, the liquid water inside Mars and the water molecules in ULM-1 on the moon are compounds composed of hydrogen and oxygen, just like water on Earth. However, the environment of liquid water on Mars is extremely harsh and may contain various impurities and minerals. Its physical and chemical properties may be different from those of common water on Earth. The water molecules found on the moon are actually a kind of crystalline water, similar to the hydrate formed by salt after getting wet, and are not the common liquid water.

Liu Yong believes that there are still many uncertainties about whether humans can directly use these water resources. However, the discovery of these space water resources will help humans better understand where the water on Earth comes from. Researchers can also search for habitable planets with similar environments to Earth through follow-up research. "This water in outer space may not help scientists find extraterrestrial life, but it is enough to bring new hope and possibilities for humans to achieve interstellar travel and alien settlement," Liu Yong said.

Some experts believe that the large amount of liquid water on Mars, even if it cannot be directly drunk by humans, will be a good water resource for construction when a base is needed on Mars in the future, which can reduce the cost and risk of transporting resources from the earth. The ULM-1 discovered on the moon can also provide a certain foundation for the establishment of a long-term scientific research station or resource development base on the moon in the future.

Jin Shifeng, an associate researcher at the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that the high temperature and vacuum environment on the moon makes it difficult for liquid water and water ice to exist. Unlike volatile water ice, ULM-1 is very stable in the high latitudes of the moon and is rich in ammonium and a small amount of potassium. "If humans want to build a base on the moon in the future, they can collect water vapor by heating the ULM-1 crystals to dozens of degrees Celsius. As fertilizer for plants, the ammonium and potassium in ULM-1 also have high utilization value."

Of course, if humans want to truly realize interstellar travel and extraterrestrial settlement, it is far from enough to just have space water resources. There are still a large number of complex problems to be solved, such as space radiation protection, ecosystem construction, energy supply, and life support systems.

Whether it is the liquid water inside Mars or the water molecules in ULM-1 on the moon, they are important milestones in human exploration of water resources in outer space, just like finding the key pieces of the "puzzle" for human survival and development in the future universe. "Perhaps in the future, humans will be able to realize the dream of interstellar travel and settlement, and leave their footprints in more corners of the universe," said Liu Yong.