At the time of writing – on the last day of November 2021 – a number of articles are appearing in the mainstream press carrying statements from scientists that up to half the water on Earth originates in the Sun. The source is a new paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, by a team of researchers from the UK, Australia and America.
 
Basically they are saying water is, or was, brought here on Solar Winds. One analysis prefers to think that it is a kind of alchemy, whereby hydrogen atoms from the Sun hit other particles of cosmic dust and convert them to H2O.
 
The Sun contains every known element, including oxygen and hydrogen. In most parts it is too hot to form molecules, but in the cooler places, for example those that exist in the middle of sunspots, molecules of H2O do indeed form. There may not be oceans there, because of the temporary nature of sunspots, but nevertheless, water does exist on the Sun.
 
One article that appears in The Conversation ends by saying: “So, while sipping your next glass of water, ponder the curious thought that Earth derived up to half its water from the Sun.” Not so much food for thought, as liquid for thought!