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Chile Team Finds Ultra-Cold Deuterated Water in 11-Billion-Year Interstellar Comet

5/2/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Chile scientists used ALMA to detect deuterated water in interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
The comet’s deuterium is over 40 times Earth’s ocean level, indicating formation below 30 K.
Researchers date 3I/ATLAS at up to 11 billion years, older than the Sun.
The April 23 Nature Astronomy paper reported no ordinary H2O detection in 3I/ATLAS.
The paper said the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will find more interstellar objects for deuterium comparisons.

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Story summary

Chile scientists used ALMA to detect deuterated water in interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
The comet’s deuterium is over 40 times Earth’s ocean level, indicating formation below 30 K.
Researchers date 3I/ATLAS at up to 11 billion years, older than the Sun.
The April 23 Nature Astronomy paper reported no ordinary H2O detection in 3I/ATLAS.
The paper said the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will find more interstellar objects for deuterium comparisons.