A deeper dive in this month’s Planetary and Space Science (vol. 247 Aug 2024):
Soini, A.-J. Kukkonen, I.T. Suhonen, H. et al. 3D porosity, flow, and transport characteristics of t… Art 105915 .2024.105915
We know the carbonaceous chondrite asteroids (including transition objects- or, ‘astero-comets’) formed with ice crystals, because their meteorites (carbonaceous meteorites) preserve the signs of aqueous alteration. In some cases (mostly CI- and CM-chondrites, rarely others), the meteorites preserve nontrivial water itself. Soini et al. give evidence that even the ordinary chondrites formed with ice crystals, due to petrology and other indirect signs.
’Dumb rocks,’ indeed. Water is one of the most common compounds in the entire universe, and these preserved relics of the dawn of the Solar System preserve- directly and indirectly- the formations ingredients of this Solar System.