The University of Oxford researchers have contributed to overturning the popular theory that water on Earth originated from asteroids striking the surface. The study, recently published in the journal Icarus, focuses on uncovering the origin of water on Earth by analyzing a rare type of meteorite called enstatite chondrite. This meteorite, similar in composition to the early Earth, provided crucial evidence for the presence of intrinsic hydrogen, essential for water molecule formation. The research team used X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron to identify hydrogen sulphide in the meteorite, indicating a rich hydrogen content. The discovery challenges the belief that Earth acquired its hydrogen from asteroids, suggesting instead that the planet had enough hydrogen from its formation. The findings highlight that without hydrogen, a fundamental building block of water, life-supporting conditions on Earth would not have been possible. The study sheds light on the natural process of water creation on Earth, emphasizing the significance of the material that built the planet. Co-author Professor James Bryson expressed that the research supports the concept that Earth's water formation was a natural process, not reliant on asteroid bombardment post-formation. This groundbreaking research provides vital evidence supporting the theory that water on Earth is native and a natural outcome of the planet's composition.