Planets could be much more water-rich than thought, study finds

Distant planets could contain much more water than thought, albeit hidden deep inside rather than on the surface, according to a study with Swiss participation. Until now, scientists have assumed that water on planets is mainly found on their surfaces. A study published on Tuesday in Nature Astronomy, in which a researcher from the federal technology institute ETH Zurich was involved, shows that this is not the case. “The results of our model for the planet’s interior call into question the previous idea of water worlds: most of the water (even more than 95%) can be stored deep in the core and in mantle and not on the surface,” wrote the researchers, led by Caroline Dorn. Distant planets which were previously thought to be water-poor could therefore actually be rich in water. + Read more: Swiss researchers hunting for ice on comets According to the researchers, the results could have implications for the habitability of so-called water-rich Super-Earths, i.e. planets whose surface ...