Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
LiveScience
LiveScience
Joanna Thompson

James Webb telescope spots ancient water frozen in a near-Earth comet — and scientists want to collect it

An artist's impression of a blue comet with water vapor pouring off of it

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is probably best known for peering deep into the early cosmos, searching for the universe's oldest stars. But it's also making amazing discoveries right in our own cosmic backyard. 

For the first time, the powerful telescope has spotted a water-rich comet in the inner solar system, NASA recently announced. The finding may help to solve the long-held mystery of how Earth got its water, the research team said in a study published May 15 in the journal Nature. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.