NASA Announces It Has Found Water On The Moon For The First Time (Photos)

NASA reveals tiny pockets of ice on the lunar surface could provide enough oxygen, hydration and rocket fuel to support a human colony. Study estimates up to 40,000 square km of water hidden in cold traps in craters

NASA has confirmed, for the first time, that there is water on the sunlit surface of the moon.

The revelation means it is possible water is easily accessible and not just in the deep, permanently shadowed craters of the south pole, as was previously thought.

A separate piece of research found these so-called 'cold traps', which are always in shadow, may contain up to 15,000 square miles (40,000 square km) of water.

The discovery means future missions to the moon could be prolonged by making use of these water molecules which are scattered across the moon.

Astronauts could use the natural resource, which may have arrived via comets or solar winds, and turn it into oxygen or drinking water to sustain a future colony.

Scientists also say the water could be used to make rocket fuel, lightening missions and slashing mission costs to make interplanetary space travel easier and cheaper.

Previously, researchers speculated water was only present in cold traps and were unable to prove it was water and not a similar molecule called hydroxyl, which is found in drain cleaner.

The NASA research used a converted Boeing 747 that cruises around Earth above the clouds at an altitude of more than 41,000ft called Sofia.

It was tasked with clarifying findings published in 2009 which discovered molecular hydrogen and oxygen on the surface of the moon.

However, due to the nature of the decade-old analysis, astronomers were unable to say whether or not it was water (H2 or hydroxyl (OH) compounds, the chemical found in drain cleaner, due to the similarity in their chemical signature.

Dr Nick Tothill, a physicist at Western Sydney University, who was not involved in the research, said: 'The problem was that the water ice signature that was found before was really just telling us that there were oxygen and hydrogen atoms bound together.

'On the Earth, this is mainly water, but on the Moon, you can't be so sure.'

The issue was a limitation of the equipment that used a wavelength of three micrometres, which is unable to tell apart hydroxyl minerals from water.

Sofia, short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is equipped with a unique six micrometre sensor that detects 'a fundamental vibration of molecular water' that is completely unique to water.

The Sofia study found the water molecules in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth, located in the Moon's southern hemisphere.

By detecting this, it is conclusive and indubitable proof of water on the sunlit surface of the moon, NASA says.

'We had indications that H2O – the familiar water we know – might be present on the sunlit side of the Moon,' said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

'Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.'

Dr Themiya Nanayakkara, an astronomer at Swinburne University of Technology, comments on the research.

'Honniball and collaborators have now targeted a much higher wavelength feature at 6µm using data from the SOFIA observatory,' he says.

He goes on to explain that Sofia is a modified Boeing 747 with a massive hole that fits in a 2.5-meter mirror.

'They find spectral signatures that can only be explained by molecular water on the Moon,' he says.

In the paper, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the researchers say that water around the south pole of the moon is relatively abundant, at around 100 to 400 parts per million, equivalent to a 12-ounce (360ml) bottle of water – trapped in a cubic meter of soil.

This is about 100 times drier than the Sahara desert, NASA says.

'We haven't found a fountain or lake on the moon, the water density is very low, it is confined to the poles, and is likely trapped in glasses or rocks on the surface,' warns Dr Ben Montet from the University of New South Wales.

The second scientific paper released today looks at where water is most likely to be found on the moon's surface.

It adds to previous research which found that cold traps are well suited for preserving water ice.

Also known as topographic depressions, they benefit from a quirk of the moon's physics, which is also a feature of Mercury and the asteroid Ceres.

All three are tilted on their axis and as a result the shadow created from their craters leaves some areas permanently in the shade.

In these areas, temperatures can plummet as low as -163.15°C/-261.67°F due to the lack of sunlight, hence the frigid moniker assigned by astronomers.

Dr Paul Hayne from the University of Colorado, Boulder led a project that tried to determine just how many of these there are and how much water they may contain.

His team used theoretical modelling and data from the Lunar Renaissance Orbiter (LRO) to piece this puzzle together.

They vary enormously in size, the researchers say, with some as large as one kilometre in diameter and some just one centimetre in width.

Up to a fifth of all water ice believed to be trapped in these spots is thought to be in the tiniest of the craters, the researchers say.

More than half (60 per cent) of the cold traps are in the south and the majority are at latitudes in excess of 80 degrees because 'permanent shadows equatorward of 80° are typically too warm to support ice accumulation', the researchers write.

In total, they speculate up to 40,000 square kilometres of water ice exists in the cold traps, the same as twice the contents of Lake Ontario.

Dr Tothill says: 'Taken together, these papers tell us that there really is water ice on the moon, and it's probably widespread over both polar regions - with a bit more in the south.

'This in turn tells us how and where to look for water on the moon, with either robot or human explorers.'

While this research confirms long-held theories, astronomers have been acting on these suspicions for a long time.

NASA, for example, banked on finding water and plans to build a base camp at the moon's south pole. Israel's failed Beresheet mission also had a similar thought process.

Before a crash landing, it had intended to touch down in the lowland area of Mare Serenitatis. This area gave off a distinct signal indicating water is present there.

Thousands of dried tardigrades were secretly sent on this mission and these creatures are known as being the hardiest creatures in the world.

They can be revived by water, survive UV rays and Israel hoped to see if they would survive on the moon.

'But we don't have to worry that tardigrades are now running around the Moon,' says Alice Gorman of Flinders University, a leading space archaeologist.

'They're encased in resin, and the water is most likely trapped inside glasses formed by micrometeorite impacts.'

The discovery, which was tantalisingly teased by NASA last week, has significant implications for future space missions to our natural satellite.

Dr Jonti Horner from the University of Southern Queensland calls the research 'definitely exciting'.

He says future missions to the south pole of the moon could be refuelled at a base camp, as proposed by the NASA Artemis mission, using the moonwater.

But the implications are far more significant than that, experts say.

Instead of simply refuelling and returning to Earth, the presence of moonwater , and therefore lower costs for return trips, also open the door for interplanetary missions.

'To launch a litre bottle of water from Earth to the Moon costs $35,000 – almost the same cost as if we just made that bottle solid gold, says Professor Alan Duffy, lead scientist of The Royal Institution of Australia.

'But by accessing it directly from the Moon itself we turn our celestial neighbour into a resupply as well as a refuelling station.

'Water can directly support astronauts on a planned Moon-base, used to grow food on long-duration missions to Mars, and even split into literal rocket fuel for powering our satellites and rockets across the Solar System. ' #dailymail

NASA Announces It Has Found Water On The Moon For The First Time (Photos)

NASA reveals tiny pockets of ice on the lunar surface could provide enough oxygen, hydration and rocket fuel to support a human colony. Study estimates up to 40,000 square km of water hidden in cold traps in craters

NASA has confirmed, for the first time, that there is water on the sunlit surface of the moon.

The revelation means it is possible water is easily accessible and not just in the deep, permanently shadowed craters of the south pole, as was previously thought.

A separate piece of research found these so-called 'cold traps', which are always in shadow, may contain up to 15,000 square miles (40,000 square km) of water.

The discovery means future missions to the moon could be prolonged by making use of these water molecules which are scattered across the moon.

Astronauts could use the natural resource, which may have arrived via comets or solar winds, and turn it into oxygen or drinking water to sustain a future colony.

Scientists also say the water could be used to make rocket fuel, lightening missions and slashing mission costs to make interplanetary space travel easier and cheaper.

Previously, researchers speculated water was only present in cold traps and were unable to prove it was water and not a similar molecule called hydroxyl, which is found in drain cleaner.

The NASA research used a converted Boeing 747 that cruises around Earth above the clouds at an altitude of more than 41,000ft called Sofia.

It was tasked with clarifying findings published in 2009 which discovered molecular hydrogen and oxygen on the surface of the moon.

However, due to the nature of the decade-old analysis, astronomers were unable to say whether or not it was water (H2 or hydroxyl (OH) compounds, the chemical found in drain cleaner, due to the similarity in their chemical signature.

Dr Nick Tothill, a physicist at Western Sydney University, who was not involved in the research, said: 'The problem was that the water ice signature that was found before was really just telling us that there were oxygen and hydrogen atoms bound together.

'On the Earth, this is mainly water, but on the Moon, you can't be so sure.'

The issue was a limitation of the equipment that used a wavelength of three micrometres, which is unable to tell apart hydroxyl minerals from water.

Sofia, short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is equipped with a unique six micrometre sensor that detects 'a fundamental vibration of molecular water' that is completely unique to water.

The Sofia study found the water molecules in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth, located in the Moon's southern hemisphere.

By detecting this, it is conclusive and indubitable proof of water on the sunlit surface of the moon, NASA says.

'We had indications that H2O – the familiar water we know – might be present on the sunlit side of the Moon,' said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

'Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.'

Dr Themiya Nanayakkara, an astronomer at Swinburne University of Technology, comments on the research.

'Honniball and collaborators have now targeted a much higher wavelength feature at 6µm using data from the SOFIA observatory,' he says.

He goes on to explain that Sofia is a modified Boeing 747 with a massive hole that fits in a 2.5-meter mirror.

'They find spectral signatures that can only be explained by molecular water on the Moon,' he says.

In the paper, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the researchers say that water around the south pole of the moon is relatively abundant, at around 100 to 400 parts per million, equivalent to a 12-ounce (360ml) bottle of water – trapped in a cubic meter of soil.

This is about 100 times drier than the Sahara desert, NASA says.

'We haven't found a fountain or lake on the moon, the water density is very low, it is confined to the poles, and is likely trapped in glasses or rocks on the surface,' warns Dr Ben Montet from the University of New South Wales.

The second scientific paper released today looks at where water is most likely to be found on the moon's surface.

It adds to previous research which found that cold traps are well suited for preserving water ice.

Also known as topographic depressions, they benefit from a quirk of the moon's physics, which is also a feature of Mercury and the asteroid Ceres.

All three are tilted on their axis and as a result the shadow created from their craters leaves some areas permanently in the shade.

In these areas, temperatures can plummet as low as -163.15°C/-261.67°F due to the lack of sunlight, hence the frigid moniker assigned by astronomers.

Dr Paul Hayne from the University of Colorado, Boulder led a project that tried to determine just how many of these there are and how much water they may contain.

His team used theoretical modelling and data from the Lunar Renaissance Orbiter (LRO) to piece this puzzle together.

They vary enormously in size, the researchers say, with some as large as one kilometre in diameter and some just one centimetre in width.

Up to a fifth of all water ice believed to be trapped in these spots is thought to be in the tiniest of the craters, the researchers say.

More than half (60 per cent) of the cold traps are in the south and the majority are at latitudes in excess of 80 degrees because 'permanent shadows equatorward of 80° are typically too warm to support ice accumulation', the researchers write.

In total, they speculate up to 40,000 square kilometres of water ice exists in the cold traps, the same as twice the contents of Lake Ontario.

Dr Tothill says: 'Taken together, these papers tell us that there really is water ice on the moon, and it's probably widespread over both polar regions - with a bit more in the south.

'This in turn tells us how and where to look for water on the moon, with either robot or human explorers.'

While this research confirms long-held theories, astronomers have been acting on these suspicions for a long time.

NASA, for example, banked on finding water and plans to build a base camp at the moon's south pole. Israel's failed Beresheet mission also had a similar thought process.

Before a crash landing, it had intended to touch down in the lowland area of Mare Serenitatis. This area gave off a distinct signal indicating water is present there.

Thousands of dried tardigrades were secretly sent on this mission and these creatures are known as being the hardiest creatures in the world.

They can be revived by water, survive UV rays and Israel hoped to see if they would survive on the moon.

'But we don't have to worry that tardigrades are now running around the Moon,' says Alice Gorman of Flinders University, a leading space archaeologist.

'They're encased in resin, and the water is most likely trapped inside glasses formed by micrometeorite impacts.'

The discovery, which was tantalisingly teased by NASA last week, has significant implications for future space missions to our natural satellite.

Dr Jonti Horner from the University of Southern Queensland calls the research 'definitely exciting'.

He says future missions to the south pole of the moon could be refuelled at a base camp, as proposed by the NASA Artemis mission, using the moonwater.

But the implications are far more significant than that, experts say.

Instead of simply refuelling and returning to Earth, the presence of moonwater , and therefore lower costs for return trips, also open the door for interplanetary missions.

'To launch a litre bottle of water from Earth to the Moon costs $35,000 – almost the same cost as if we just made that bottle solid gold, says Professor Alan Duffy, lead scientist of The Royal Institution of Australia.

'But by accessing it directly from the Moon itself we turn our celestial neighbour into a resupply as well as a refuelling station.

'Water can directly support astronauts on a planned Moon-base, used to grow food on long-duration missions to Mars, and even split into literal rocket fuel for powering our satellites and rockets across the Solar System. ' #dailymail

NASA Announces It Has Found Water On The Moon For The First Time (Photos)

NASA reveals tiny pockets of ice on the lunar surface could provide enough oxygen, hydration and rocket fuel to support a human colony. Study estimates up to 40,000 square km of water hidden in cold traps in craters

NASA has confirmed, for the first time, that there is water on the sunlit surface of the moon.

The revelation means it is possible water is easily accessible and not just in the deep, permanently shadowed craters of the south pole, as was previously thought.

A separate piece of research found these so-called 'cold traps', which are always in shadow, may contain up to 15,000 square miles (40,000 square km) of water.

The discovery means future missions to the moon could be prolonged by making use of these water molecules which are scattered across the moon.

Astronauts could use the natural resource, which may have arrived via comets or solar winds, and turn it into oxygen or drinking water to sustain a future colony.

Scientists also say the water could be used to make rocket fuel, lightening missions and slashing mission costs to make interplanetary space travel easier and cheaper.

Previously, researchers speculated water was only present in cold traps and were unable to prove it was water and not a similar molecule called hydroxyl, which is found in drain cleaner.

The NASA research used a converted Boeing 747 that cruises around Earth above the clouds at an altitude of more than 41,000ft called Sofia.

It was tasked with clarifying findings published in 2009 which discovered molecular hydrogen and oxygen on the surface of the moon.

However, due to the nature of the decade-old analysis, astronomers were unable to say whether or not it was water (H2 or hydroxyl (OH) compounds, the chemical found in drain cleaner, due to the similarity in their chemical signature.

Dr Nick Tothill, a physicist at Western Sydney University, who was not involved in the research, said: 'The problem was that the water ice signature that was found before was really just telling us that there were oxygen and hydrogen atoms bound together.

'On the Earth, this is mainly water, but on the Moon, you can't be so sure.'

The issue was a limitation of the equipment that used a wavelength of three micrometres, which is unable to tell apart hydroxyl minerals from water.

Sofia, short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is equipped with a unique six micrometre sensor that detects 'a fundamental vibration of molecular water' that is completely unique to water.

The Sofia study found the water molecules in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth, located in the Moon's southern hemisphere.

By detecting this, it is conclusive and indubitable proof of water on the sunlit surface of the moon, NASA says.

'We had indications that H2O – the familiar water we know – might be present on the sunlit side of the Moon,' said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

'Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.'

Dr Themiya Nanayakkara, an astronomer at Swinburne University of Technology, comments on the research.

'Honniball and collaborators have now targeted a much higher wavelength feature at 6µm using data from the SOFIA observatory,' he says.

He goes on to explain that Sofia is a modified Boeing 747 with a massive hole that fits in a 2.5-meter mirror.

'They find spectral signatures that can only be explained by molecular water on the Moon,' he says.

In the paper, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the researchers say that water around the south pole of the moon is relatively abundant, at around 100 to 400 parts per million, equivalent to a 12-ounce (360ml) bottle of water – trapped in a cubic meter of soil.

This is about 100 times drier than the Sahara desert, NASA says.

'We haven't found a fountain or lake on the moon, the water density is very low, it is confined to the poles, and is likely trapped in glasses or rocks on the surface,' warns Dr Ben Montet from the University of New South Wales.

The second scientific paper released today looks at where water is most likely to be found on the moon's surface.

It adds to previous research which found that cold traps are well suited for preserving water ice.

Also known as topographic depressions, they benefit from a quirk of the moon's physics, which is also a feature of Mercury and the asteroid Ceres.

All three are tilted on their axis and as a result the shadow created from their craters leaves some areas permanently in the shade.

In these areas, temperatures can plummet as low as -163.15°C/-261.67°F due to the lack of sunlight, hence the frigid moniker assigned by astronomers.

Dr Paul Hayne from the University of Colorado, Boulder led a project that tried to determine just how many of these there are and how much water they may contain.

His team used theoretical modelling and data from the Lunar Renaissance Orbiter (LRO) to piece this puzzle together.

They vary enormously in size, the researchers say, with some as large as one kilometre in diameter and some just one centimetre in width.

Up to a fifth of all water ice believed to be trapped in these spots is thought to be in the tiniest of the craters, the researchers say.

More than half (60 per cent) of the cold traps are in the south and the majority are at latitudes in excess of 80 degrees because 'permanent shadows equatorward of 80° are typically too warm to support ice accumulation', the researchers write.

In total, they speculate up to 40,000 square kilometres of water ice exists in the cold traps, the same as twice the contents of Lake Ontario.

Dr Tothill says: 'Taken together, these papers tell us that there really is water ice on the moon, and it's probably widespread over both polar regions - with a bit more in the south.

'This in turn tells us how and where to look for water on the moon, with either robot or human explorers.'

While this research confirms long-held theories, astronomers have been acting on these suspicions for a long time.

NASA, for example, banked on finding water and plans to build a base camp at the moon's south pole. Israel's failed Beresheet mission also had a similar thought process.

Before a crash landing, it had intended to touch down in the lowland area of Mare Serenitatis. This area gave off a distinct signal indicating water is present there.

Thousands of dried tardigrades were secretly sent on this mission and these creatures are known as being the hardiest creatures in the world.

They can be revived by water, survive UV rays and Israel hoped to see if they would survive on the moon.

'But we don't have to worry that tardigrades are now running around the Moon,' says Alice Gorman of Flinders University, a leading space archaeologist.

'They're encased in resin, and the water is most likely trapped inside glasses formed by micrometeorite impacts.'

The discovery, which was tantalisingly teased by NASA last week, has significant implications for future space missions to our natural satellite.

Dr Jonti Horner from the University of Southern Queensland calls the research 'definitely exciting'.

He says future missions to the south pole of the moon could be refuelled at a base camp, as proposed by the NASA Artemis mission, using the moonwater.

But the implications are far more significant than that, experts say.

Instead of simply refuelling and returning to Earth, the presence of moonwater , and therefore lower costs for return trips, also open the door for interplanetary missions.

'To launch a litre bottle of water from Earth to the Moon costs $35,000 – almost the same cost as if we just made that bottle solid gold, says Professor Alan Duffy, lead scientist of The Royal Institution of Australia.

'But by accessing it directly from the Moon itself we turn our celestial neighbour into a resupply as well as a refuelling station.

'Water can directly support astronauts on a planned Moon-base, used to grow food on long-duration missions to Mars, and even split into literal rocket fuel for powering our satellites and rockets across the Solar System. ' #dailymail

#EndSARS: Osinbajo, Six Governors To Engage Youths, CSOs, Others

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo will be heading a committee that has six state governors as members to engage youths, representatives of Civil Society Organisations, religious and traditional leaders on the fallout of the recent #EndSARS protests.

Members of the committee will be engaging the stakeholders on employment, social safety net programmes, and national unity among other key issues of concern.

The decision was reached at an emergency meeting of the National Economic Council chaired by Osinbajo on Monday.

The council, which is chaired by the sitting Vice President, has also state governors, relevant ministers, and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria as members.

Members of the committee are six state governors representing the six geopolitical zones of the country.

They are the governors of Sokoto, Borno, Niger State, Ondo, Ebonyi, and Delta states.

The committee, which is to commence work immediately, will develop a comprehensive framework under the auspices of NEC that would coordinate joint actions and steps to be taken by both the federal and state governments to examine the fundamental issues underlining the protests and arrive at effective solutions, including how to enhance Nigeria’s national security.

The council also commended the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for their handling of the disturbances in some states.

The communique read, “Council agreed to embark on an objective framing of a new security and stability architecture for the country supported by the development of a framework of engagement with the youth, civil society and religious leaders; a framework for national unity; a framework to engage with security agencies that will devolve more control to state governors who are the chief security officers of their states; a framework for federal support to provide compensation for those who have incurred losses in the last few weeks and a framework for social security to deal with the problem of unemployment and poverty in the country.

“A joint committee was consequently set up by the Chairman of Council, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to work with state governments represented by the governors of Ebonyi, Ondo, Niger, Delta, Borno and Sokoto States to implement the resolutions of the emergency meeting.”

The council also commended the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for their handling of the disturbances in some states.

#punchng

Good morning dear patriot.

Do you know that Cancer can affect anybody part of the body except the hair, nails and teeth?

Do you know that men can also have breast cancer?

There's so much to learn from this episode of #TalkingHealthWithDrLaz.

Click here to watch the Kebbi State First Lady and Founder of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr Zainab Bagudu https://youtu.be/2PqJLDqsNcI.

Today's episode of the programme will feature 3 breast cancer survivors who will be sharing their stories.

Tune to AIT by 6.30pm to watch it live Or subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch it later.

Have a good day and stay safe.

A Russian Jew had been allowed to emigrate to Israel.

At Moscow airport, customs found a Lenin statue in his baggage and asked him, "What is this?"

The man replied, "What is this? Wrong question comrade. You should have asked : Who is he? This is Comrade Lenin. He laid the foundations of socialism and created the future and prosperity of the Russian people. I am taking it with me as a memory of our hero days."

The Russian customs officer was a bit shamed and let him go without further inspection.

At Tel Aviv airport, the customs officer also asks our friend, "What is this?"

He replies, "What is this? Wrong question Sir. You should be asking 'Who is this?' This is Lenin, a bastard that made me, as a Jew leave Russia. I take this statue with me so I can curse him every day."

The Israeli customs officer said, "I apologize Sir, you can go on."

In Israel, when he arrives at his new house, he puts the statue on a table.

To celebrate his immigration, he invite his friends and relatives to dinner.

One of his friends asks him, "Who is this?"

He replies, "My dear friend, 'Who is this' is a wrong question. You should have asked, What is this? This is ten kilograms of solid gold that I managed to bring with me without customs and tax."

MORAL :-

Politics is when you perform the same mess in different ways depending on the audience. The end result will be good in every way.

#copied

Six Nations 2020: Jack Willis and Jacob Umaga named in England's squad


Willis's club-mates Jacob Umaga and Dan Robson have also been named in a 36-man squad for England's autumn matches.

Exeter's double-winning lock Jonny Hill has also been selected, but there is no place for Chiefs fly-half Joe Simmonds.

England could seal the Six Nations title with a bonus-point win against Italy on Saturday if the result of France v Ireland goes their way.

Eddie Jones' side will then play four games in the Autumn Nations Cup.

Six Nations standings: What Ireland, England and France need to win the title
The game in Rome will be their first fixture in more than seven months after the meeting with the Barbarians last Sunday was called off after several players breached Covid protocols.

"We were obviously disappointed with the postponement of the Barbarians game but we moved to plan B, had a highly competitive training session instead of the match and now we are fully focused on the Italy game and the goal of winning the Six Nations," said Jones.

'I've done about 8,000 miles going to watch players'
Exeter hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie has been ruled out through injury, as has club-mate Jack Nowell, while Northampton lock Courtney Lawes and Sale centre Manu Tuilagi are also long-term absentees.

Meanwhile Elliot Daly, George Ford and Joe Marler are also out of the game in Rome, with Ford's absence handing Umaga the chance of a first cap.

"With nine players out injured, it does create some opportunities for the younger guys to show what they can do," added Jones.

Worcester centre Ollie Lawrence, who was set to make his first England appearance against the Barbarians, is one of nine uncapped players in the squad, alongside Umaga, Hill and Willis, Bristol's Max Malins, Gloucester's Ollie Thorley, Bath's Tom Dunn and Beno Obano and Northampton lock David Ribbans.

Brothers Sam and Joe Simmonds, who have been key in Exeter's rise to becoming Premiership and European champions, were left out.

Jones said he had spoken to number eight Sam and fly-half Joe about their omission "to make sure they have an understanding of the situation".

Jones continued: "There are people out there who think certain players should be in and people who think certain players shouldn't be. It's my judgement call with the coaches.

"We do due diligence - I've done about 8,000 miles over the last three months going to watch players live, watching what they do in the warm-up, watching every bit of play and we've come to the decision that this is the best 36.

"There are a number of good players out there who will be massively disappointed and they are two of them."

Wasps duo rewarded
Willis was selected for England's tour of South Africa in 2018, before a serious injury robbed him of a chance of a first cap.

However, the 23-year-old has recovered to play a stand-out role in Wasps' march to the Premiership final in the 2019-2020 season, winning an astonishing 46 turnovers over the course of the campaign, and scooping the Rugby Players' Association Player of the Season award, the Breakthrough Player of the Season award, and the Premiership Rugby Player of the Season award.

"We've been watching his progress and he's a good, jumping number six who carries well and contests hard," Jones said.

"He has a good work attitude about him. He's a really old fashioned number six."

The 22-year-old Umaga has also enjoyed a fruitful season at his club, usurping All Blacks fly-half Lima Sopoaga as the starting 10 at the Ricoh and winning a call-up to England's Six Nations squad earlier this year.

The son of former Samoa international Mike and nephew of New Zealand great Tana, Umaga has represented England at Under-20s level and now is in line for full international honours.

"Jacob is a young guy at 10 who attacks the line and has plenty of courage in the way he plays. He's a solid defender and is one of the reasons why Wasps did so well," added Jones.

"We had him in camp earlier in this Six Nations and we were impressed by what he did, so we're looking forward to working with him again."

England squad
Backs: Cokanasiga, Farrell, Furbank, Heinz, Joseph, Lawrence, Malins, Marchant, May, Robson, Slade, Thorley, Umaga, Watson, Youngs.

Forwards: Curry, Dunn, Earl, Ewels, Genge, George, J Hill, T Hill, Itoje, Launchbury, Ludlam, Obano, Ribbans, Singleton, Sinckler, Stuart, Underhill, B Vunipola, M Vunipola, Williams, Willis.


#bbc