Think we know everything about water? Scientists are actually discovering new things about water all the time. Here are four videos on new research and discoveries, plus one easy water experiment you can do.
1. Finding the largest known water reservoir in the universe
In 2011, astronomers discovered the largest reservoir of water ever detected in the universe. The cloud of water vapor is circling an enormous black hole and has 140 trillion times the amount of water in Earth’s oceans.
Learn more about the discovery
2. Scientists discover that there are two kinds of liquid water
In school, we are taught that water can exist in three different states: solid ice, liquid water or vapor gas. But an international team of scientists have recently found signs that liquid water might actually come in two different states.
Learn more about the newly discovered liquid state
3. Just how do trees get their water all the way to the top?
Xylem is not only the name of our water company, it’s also the name of the cells inside trees that transport water. But how does the water overcome gravity to get to the top branches? Learn how water tension and evaporation make it possible.
Learn more about how trees transport water
4. How a boy discovered that hot water freezes faster than cold water
In 1963, when Erasto Mpemba was making ice cream in his school class, he found that his hot mixture froze faster than the cooler mixtures of the other students. Today this is known as the Mpemba Effect, and in 2017 researchers think they finally figured out why this happens.
Read more about the new research
One easy experiment that shows how water is “sticky”
How many drops of water can you fit on a coin? Since water molecules are strongly attracted to each other, you’ll be surprised at how many drops it can hold.