Two-billion-year-old isolated water discovered in Kidd Creek mine in Ontario, Canada

Geologists have discovered water in the Kidd Creek Mine in Ontario, Canada, that has remained isolated from the external environment in the Earth's crust for approximately two billion years. Zamin.uz reported on this.

The Space Daily publication reported this, citing research from the University of Toronto. It is reported that the water sample was brought to the surface from a depth of approximately three kilometers.

Analyses showed that this water had been trapped deep within ancient rocks for a long time and had absolutely no contact with the atmosphere. Scientists used the composition of noble gases such as helium, neon, argon, and xenon dissolved in it to determine the age of the water.

Since these elements gradually accumulated in the closed environment, it became possible to estimate how long the water had been in isolation. Researchers noted that the liquid is very salty, with a salt content nearly ten times higher than that of seawater.

Additionally, it has a distinct bitter taste and a sharp sulfur smell. What interested scientists the most was the discovery of microorganisms within this ancient water.

According to experts, they managed to survive in conditions of total darkness without sunlight, thanks to chemical reactions between the water and surrounding minerals. Researchers consider this find a unique time capsule that provides information about the ancient history of the Earth.

This discovery may serve to better understand how life formed in the deep layers of our planet and under what conditions microorganisms were able to exist for billions of years. At the same time, researchers are striving to determine the previous stages of our planet's development by studying the chemical composition and vital activities of the microorganisms in this water.