• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Scientist drank water that is billions of years old and explained what it tastes like

Home> News

Published 19:07 17 Feb 2023 GMT

Scientist drank water that is billions of years old and explained what it tastes like

Because why wouldn't you want to give ancient water a try?

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

No one wants to drink water that's been left sitting out for days on end, but apparently the same can't be said for water that's been sitting around for millions of years.

Given the wonder of bottled water, not to mention the amazing invention that is *the tap*, there's really no need to go around drinking water any older than a day or two.

I get that all water is recycled in some way or another, but there's still a difference between fresh and old, and pockets of water in Timmins, Ontario provide the perfect example of that.

Advert

This looks like water on the fresher end of the scale.
Pixabay

In 2013, scientists discovered the water nearly 1.5 miles beneath Earth’s surface, left isolated from the outside world for millennia.

It was trapped in thin fissures amid a granite-like rock, and scientists were able to determined that it could be as old as 2.6 billion years.

Given that there was absolutely no such thing as a tap or bottled water back then, most people would probably agree that this isn't a liquid for drinking. But apparently professor Barbara Sherwood Lollar isn't most people.

Advert

As lead researcher, Lollar found herself up close with the water and decided to give it a try.

So, have you ever wondered how some of the world's oldest water tastes? Well, to no one's surprise, it's apparently 'terrible'.

Describing the flavour of the liquid to the LA Times, the scientist said the first thing that jumped out at her was something no one wants from a beverage: saltiness.

Barbara Sherwood Lollar tried the water for herself.
University of Toronto

Advert

"Because of the reactions between the water and the rock, it is extremely salty," she said.

"It is more viscous than tap water. It has the consistency of a very light maple syrup. It doesn’t have color when it comes out, but as soon as it comes into contact with oxygen it turns an orangy color because the minerals in it begin to form — especially the iron."

Lollar advised other people that you would 'definitely not want' to drink it, but in spite of this she apparently tried it on more than one occasion, saying: "I have to admit I have tasted it from time to time."

To be fair to the professor, she did have her reasons as she explained: "We are interested in the saltiest waters because they are the oldest, and tasting is the quick-and-dirty way to find which are the most salty."

Advert

Little did Lollar know, it would only be three years before scientists discovered what they believed to be even older water in the same area, thought to be at least 500 million years more ancient than the earlier finding. It's unclear how that one tasted, but given how bad the first was, I'm guessing it's not good.

Featured Image Credit: University of Toronto

Topics: Science, Food and Drink

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Scientist who drank water that is billions of years old and has unusual taste explained why she did it
  • Scientist drank water that is billions of years old and explained what it tastes like
  • Longevity scientist claims this one breakfast helped him reverse his biological age by 15 years
  • Study claims eating these specific 6 foods could 'reverse' biological aging

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
8 hours ago
  • 7 hours ago

    Elon Musk's ex-wife reveals one reason being married to him 'sucked'

    Justine Wilson was married to Elon Musk from 2000 to 2008 and did not mince her words as she opened up about their relationship

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Scientists reveal biggest great white shark ever recorded in Atlantic has resurfaced in major US tourist hotspot

    It's not the biggest great white shark in the ocean, however

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Scientists reveal what the length of your fingers really says about you and it might be surprising

    An in-depth analysis of more than 5,000 people across 12 countries indicates that your hand could well determine your fitness and more

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Plane passenger almost fined $800 after being stopped by TSA over easy mistake

    The passenger explained her travel nightmare in a video that has since gone viral on TikTok

    News