back to article Water, water everywhere on the Moon: But not a drop to drink

Astroboffins have discovered more and more water on the once-thought barren surface of the Moon in the last five years, but the question of where that water comes from is still a mystery. The Moon The ice at the poles of the Moon is one sort of water long known to be present on the Earth's major satellite, but water has also …

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  1. Miek
    Linux

    " but a new study suggests that the H2O could be coming from the Sun." -- This is not new!!! This is from 2009!!!

    http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17842-widespread-water-may-cling-to-moons-surface.html

    "Chandrayaan-1's measurements suggest that the water sits in the upper few millimetres of the lunar surface. As a result, Pieters and colleagues favour a scenario in which the water is created when hydrogen atoms carried by the solar wind slam into oxygen-rich materials in the lunar surface, combining to form hydroxyl and water."

    1. Lee Dowling Silver badge

      It may not be ALL new, but if there's a shred more independent evidence for the findings then, in science circles, that's news. Because it means that there's an increasing chance that the hypothesis is correct.

      Science is like RAID. If the data isn't confirmed on/by several independent places stored in/obtained by slightly different ways, then it's not reliable enough to be counted upon.

      1. Miek
        Linux

        "but a new study suggests" -- This is what I had an issue with as they are providing, as you say, a shred more independent evidence to corroborate the previous thesis rather than providing this thesis themselves.

        I probably should have just "sent a correction".

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "Science is like RAID"

        But what type of RAID?

        If we're talking climate science, then obviously RAID 0, "we got this answer very quickly, and we're sure its right....ooh dear, data's gone, so you'll just have to believe us"

        For pharma companies, RAID 1, "we got the same result twice, so it must be correct"

        Everyday physics, RAID 3, "we got the same result twice AND we checked it"

        CERN style physics, RAID 6 "do you know how much this cost us?"

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Water....

      No just alien pee.

  2. Beau
    Thumb Up

    New odds?

    "But the findings do mean that there's probably water on celestial bodies across the solar system."

    As our sun is an fairly average star, are we now saying, that there's probably water on all the planets we are now discovering around other stars?

    If so what's the new probability for life on any of those planets?

    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      Coat

      Re: New odds?

      Next week: "British proved right - it's pissing down everywhere."

      1. FartingHippo

        Re: New odds?

        So...Manchester may not be the wettest, most grim place in the galaxy? I'm speechless.

        1. Armando 123

          Re: New odds?

          "So...Manchester may not be the wettest, most grim place in the galaxy? "

          I always thought it was New Orleans. And that was in the 90s way pre-Katrina.

  3. philbo
    Unhappy

    At least get the quote right..

    it's "Water, water everywhere

    Nor any drop to drink"

    </pedant>

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So is it actually hydrogen, or just protons AKA "hydrogen ions" and in which case, what is the Sun doing with all the electrons, does it fling them out as beta particles or something exciting? :)

    1. Chemist
      Joke

      "doing with all the electrons"

      Better hope they don't all come down the 'Earth' wire !

  5. Martin
    Headmaster

    Another common misquotation

    Water, water every where,

    And all the boards did shrink;

    Water, water every where,

    Nor any drop to drink.

    - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

    1. Will Godfrey Silver badge

      Re: Another common misquotation

      Pah! Beat me to it.

  6. Kwac
    Pint

    Sod the water

    Nothing more to say.

    1. Luther Blissett

      Re: Sod the water

      Betcha there's enough Na+ on the Moon to go with the OH- and hey presto... there's your soda water, well, somebody's soda water.

    2. Lars Silver badge
      Pint

      Re: Sod the water

      Well, still nothing about the cheese.

  7. Vic Sub
    Coat

    Water in Glass

    Water in a glass..... what could be simpler?

  8. Allan George Dyer
    Pint

    Which Hydroxy?

    If it's ethyl, book me on the next rocket!

  9. chris lively
    Thumb Up

    So the sun gives us heat, light, water and controls the weather...

    Maybe the ancient sun worshippers had it right after all.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    new mish

    why no probe sent to the surface to run tests at the poles and take hd pics from an low orbiting camera. its only about 250000 miles away. Just cos some bozos wandered about in 4ft thick duvets in 1969 we think we know it all now do we?

    maybe the chinese can do it for $29.99 now.

    Also they could plant a few red flags for extra annoyance and paranoia .

    1. Will Godfrey Silver badge

      Think I need new glasses

      ... run tests at the poles and take hd pics...

      Read that as

      ... run tests, and the proles take hd pics...

  11. mraak

    What about H?

    I thought one of the main reasons for excitement is not to go there to drink water, but use it for electrolysis, so that Hydrogen could be extracted and used as fuel for space missions. Is this still an option now?

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    did you have to caption that picture?

    I, for one, got a laugh out of it.

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