‘Moon may support human life’ after scientists find renewable source of water

A new source of water has been discovered on the moon, potentially making it possible for future explorers to live there.

Water was found in samples of small glass beads in the lunar dirt by China back in 2020 where meteorite impacts had had previously collided with the moon.

The water in these multicoloured beads was relatively easy to extract, suggesting it could be used for fuel or for astronauts to drink in the future.

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The presence of water has been known of for years, but this latest discovery could be evidence of a continuous water cycle, rather than one off findings, scientists say.

The samples were recovered by China's Chang'e 5 moon mission and published on Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Hejiu Hui, of Nanjing University, who took part in the study, said the results from the selected beads represented minuscule traces of water.

However, since there are thought to be billions of these beads, they could add up to a sizeable amount of water.

Hui said: "Yes, it will require lots and lots of glass beads.

"On the other hand, there are lots and lots of beads on the moon."

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More samples will be are due to be analysed to confirm the hypothesis that there is some degree of renewable water on the moon.

The beads are the result of the cooling of melted material ejected by incoming space rocks.

It is proposed that the water may in future be extracted by space robots, making living on the moon theoretically possible.

Hui said the discovery shows "water can be recharged on the moon's surface, a new water reservoir on the moon."

Professor Sen Hu, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said the successful mission "indicates that the impact glasses on the surface of the moon and other airless bodies in the solar system are capable of storing solar wind-derived water and releasing it into space".

Previous studies found water in glass beads formed from samples returned by the Apollo moonwalkers over 50 years ago.

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