Europa possesses vast oceans which may have a chemical makeup close to that of Earth, and could be warmer than astronomers previously believed. This finding increases chances alien life may be found on Jupiter's fourth largest moon. However, another satellite also holds promise of lifeforms living beyond the Earth - Saturn's largest moon, Titan.
Extraterrestrial life in the solar system was once thought to most likely be found on Mars. Science fiction classics, including War of the Worlds, told epic tales of Martians. However, modern research reveals Mars to exhibit extremely dry conditions away from its polar caps, with the exception of ice trapped beneath its surface.
For life to exist as we know it, an alien world would likely need to have vast quantities of a medium, such as water, for organic materials to combine, permitting complex reactions to take place.
A vast ocean is thought to exist on Europa, beneath its frozen surface. Models created mimicking conditions on Europa suggest the salty oceans of the Jovian satellite could harbor enough chemical energy to give rise to lifeforms. These conditions could bring forth life without a need for hydrothermal action, researchers have revealed.
"We're studying an alien ocean using methods developed to understand the movement of energy and nutrients in Earth's own systems.The cycling of oxygen and hydrogen in Europa's ocean will be a major driver for Europa's ocean chemistry and any life there, just as it is on Earth," said Steve Vance from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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