(Newswire.net — April 15, 2017) — The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) presented the latest findings regarding the Solar System – Saturn’s moon Enceladus and Jupiter’s Europe. Some of its parts contain hot water and liquid hydrogen springs, and can presumably maintain life.
Of all the moons in the Solar System, the most similar to the Earth’s moon is Enceladus. Experts believe that underneath the rough conditions on the surface, there could be a potentially suitable environment for the emergence of life forms.
Enceladus has an ocean surface and almost all that is necessary for life that exists on Earth: ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrogen, as well as some organic materials. Also, the existence of liquid water is found to be crucial for the survival of wildlife.
Also, research shows that Saturn’s moon Enceladus has the chemical energy that can support life.
Another study revealed new evidence showing that geysers are erupting water from Jupiter’s moon Europa.
The Cassini Project Scientist, Dr. Linda Spilker of NASA, announced that Cassini has made a discovery. After years of studying Saturn and being located in its orbit for 13 years, the spacecraft managed to find hydrogen and carbon dioxide on Enceladus.
More importantly, when hydrogen is present, it can mix with carbon dioxide to form methane, which is consumed by microbes in the deep, dark seas of our own planet.
Nasa’s expert at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Dr. Linda Spilker, said that their spacecraft Cassini has picked up the first evidence that chemical reactions are happening deep below the ice which could be creating an environment capable of supporting microbes.
The scientists said that the moons Enceladus and Europa are potential “ocean worlds” where life similar to Earth is possible, but they have not yet noticed microbes and micro-organisms.
According to NASA researchers, these worlds are bound with a thick layer of ice, in the same way as the Earth is surrounded by the atmosphere. The scientists suspect that there are large quantities of liquid water below this surface, along with various chemical processes. Altogether, this could lead to the development of life such as the one on Earth, despite the absence of the Sun.
Telescope Hubble has shown that water is present in the warmest part of Jupiter’s Europe. This is the second time that the so-called plumes of water were observed in the same place.
A report of NASA’s new findings was published in the journal Science.