"Unveiling Water's Role in Planet Formation Across the Universe"

Water vapor has been detected in the disc around a young star, HL Tauri, where planets are likely forming, revealing its potential impact on planet composition. The discovery, made using the ALMA observatory, is significant as water is crucial for life and plays a key role in planet formation. The findings provide detailed images and spatially resolve water vapor at a distance of 450 light-years from Earth, shedding light on the distribution of water in a stable, cool disc, which offers favorable conditions for planet formation. This discovery has implications for understanding planet formation and the role water plays in it, with future upgrades at ALMA and the Extremely Large Telescope set to provide even clearer insights.