James Webb Space Telescope finds water in asteroid belt, hinting at origin of Earth's oceans

Comet 238P/Read lives close to the sun but periodically outgasses like a comet. (NASA/ESA)

Water has been found in the Solar System's main asteroid belt for the first time, giving scientists an insight into where Earth's oceans may have come from, NASA says.

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) NIRSpec (near-infrared spectrograph) confirmed water vapour around Comet 238P/Read, circulating between Jupiter and Mars.