Water is likely to be widespread in the moon’s interior

June 15, 2010 5:39 AM

The Carnegie Institution for Science reports "a much higher water content in the Moon’s interior than previous studies." For decades, the moon's water content was estimated at less than 1 part per billion; the new estimates range from 64 ppb to 5 parts per million. A scientist at Washington University said, "We can now finally begin to consider the implications—and the origin—of water in the interior of the Moon.” There's more at NASA and the BBC, and the full paper is available at PNAS (PDF).
posted by Stan Carey (21 comments total)

At last I can actually pursue my dream of drinking the moon!

Today, Earth's natural satellite; tomorrow, Galactus!
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:51 AM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]

Interesting, but I don't think H2O molecules bound inside of minerals is quite the same thing as "water". Not that that won't stop journalists from picturing lakes on the moon.
posted by yhbc at 5:52 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

Or Astro Zombies from doing the same, obviously.
posted by yhbc at 5:52 AM on June 15, 2010

2-3 orders of magnitude difference from multiple previous studies is kind of thing that might make one pause and ask if the study was done correctly.
posted by DU at 5:58 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

Further studies will indicate that the water is just leftover whey from the curdling of all that green cheese.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 6:06 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

Whitey water on the moon.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:07 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

This is just propaganda so they can bomb it again.
Tomorrow's headline: Mars has WMDs and a crazy dictator. Something about an "...illudium Q36 explosive space modulator."
posted by Bathtub Bobsled at 6:18 AM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]

Pics or it didn't happen.
posted by rocketman at 6:30 AM on June 15, 2010

We're whalers on the moon!

We carry a harpoon!
posted by kyrademon at 6:35 AM on June 15, 2010 [5 favorites]

Splat.
posted by Stan Carey at 6:36 AM on June 15, 2010

Obligatory Mr Show blow up the moon
posted by symbioid at 6:36 AM on June 15, 2010

Sorry, NASA: no matter how much water you decide is there, we're not going back.
posted by Phanx at 6:41 AM on June 15, 2010

I'd tap that.
posted by TG_Plackenfatz at 6:43 AM on June 15, 2010

What if they drill and can't stop the water coming out?
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 6:51 AM on June 15, 2010

No water, Gromit! Not a bit in the house!
posted by kcds at 6:53 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

yhbc - I'm assuming the point is something like "given energy, which can be had cheaply on the moon(1), we can extract the water from the rocks, instead of shipping it there at enormous expense."

1. there's another assumption, right there.
posted by russm at 7:19 AM on June 15, 2010

Is there a secret art museum on the moon?
posted by Sailormom at 7:42 AM on June 15, 2010

Meanwhile, in a desperate attempt to justify their increasingly anachronistic existence, NASA has announced that the Moon is "made of oil, gold and orgasms" and that Congress should allocate "a lot" of money to explore these amazing new orgasmanium deposits.
posted by Avenger at 11:41 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

Ancient Ocean May Have Covered Third of Mars
posted by homunculus at 11:55 AM on June 15, 2010

Not to be all speechy or nothin', but this was my first post on MeFi, and it wasn't the ignominious disaster I half-feared. Thanks to you all for the links, comments, and general entertainment.
posted by Stan Carey at 3:11 PM on June 15, 2010

Yo, don't get all speechy, Stan.

;-)
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:55 PM on June 15, 2010