Water is literally the elixir of life. Without it, no Earthly living organism can survive. It's the reason that the Sahara and Atacama deserts are barren wastelands.
When humans began exploring our planet, each time they encountered a new island or valley, finding drinkable water was their first order of business. And as we turn our attention to the heavens, imagining a future in which intrepid explorers will search the solar system for places to live, the situation is pretty much the same. Celestial bodies with water will be the first places to be colonized.
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