Subsurface Ocean
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Jupiter's Moon Europa May Be Supplying Its Ocean With Life-Supporting Matter, Find's Study
According to the study, this process could be an effective way to transport surface material to the ocean beneath Europa.
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Europa’s Hidden Ocean Could Be ‘Fed’ by Sinking Salted Ice; New Study Boosts Hopes for Alien Life
Europa, one of Jupiter’s icy moons, may have a more habitable ocean than once thought. New simulations show that dense, salt-rich ice on the surface can slowly sink through the moon’s thick ice shell and drip into the hidden ocean below. This process would deliver nutrients and oxidants over geological timescales, potentially sustaining conditi...
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Spider-Like Scar on Jupiter’s Moon Europa Could Indicate Subsurface Salty Water
A spider-like scar on Jupiter’s moon Europa may indicate briny water beneath its icy crust. Researchers suggest impact-driven flows of salty liquid created starburst patterns resembling Earth’s lake stars. Future observations by NASA’s Europa Clipper mission could confirm these features, offering new insights into Europa’s subsurface oceans...
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Icy Moons Might Have Oceans That Briefly Boil, Study Suggests
A new study suggests that icy moons such as Mimas and Enceladus may host boiling subsurface oceans triggered by thinning ice shells and falling pressure. This low-temperature boiling could still support life beneath the surface. The research also explains geological features on larger icy moons and strengthens their potential as sites for finding e...
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Boiling Oceans May Hide Beneath Icy Moons, New Study Suggests
A new study suggests that icy moons such as Mimas and Enceladus may host boiling subsurface oceans triggered by thinning ice shells and falling pressure. This low-temperature boiling could still support life beneath the surface. The research also explains geological features on larger icy moons and strengthens their potential as sites for finding e...
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German Scientists Develop Laser Drill to Explore Icy Moons’ Hidden Oceans
Scientists from TU Dresden have created a laser drill that vaporises ice to reach potential subsurface oceans on Europa and Enceladus. Lighter and more energy-efficient than mechanical drills, it enables deep exploration with minimal power, paving the way for studying icy worlds and their potential for extraterrestrial life.
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Saturn’s Moon Enceladus Spouts Complex Organics That Could Hold Clues to Life
Analysis of Cassini data confirms Saturn’s moon Enceladus emits organic molecules, suggesting its subsurface ocean may harbor chemistry conducive to life.
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Scientists Explore Role of Space Radiation in Powering Alien Microbial Life
A new study proposes that life may exist far from sunlight in a “radiolytic habitable zone” deep beneath the icy surfaces of Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. Cosmic rays, which can penetrate rock and ice, break water molecules apart to release hydrogen, oxygen, and energy-rich electrons. These can fuel microbes in subsurface water, much like bacter...
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Europa Could Briefly Sustain Life When the Sun Becomes a Red Giant Star, Scientists Say
Scientists at Cornell’s Carl Sagan Institute propose that Jupiter’s moon Europa could host life for up to 200 million years during the sun’s red giant phase. While Earth would be incinerated, Europa’s subsurface oceans might temporarily support microbial life, offering a final refuge in the solar system and expanding the search for biosigna...
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Space Exploration Highlights 2024: Lunar Missions, Mars Discoveries, and More
2024 saw significant space exploration advancements. Japan's SLIM mission exceeded expectations, while NASA’s Perseverance found evidence of ancient life on Mars. The Europa Clipper launched to investigate subsurface oceans on Jupiter's moon Europa, promising new discoveries by 2030.
-
Jupiter's Moon Europa May Be Supplying Its Ocean With Life-Supporting Matter, Find's Study
According to the study, this process could be an effective way to transport surface material to the ocean beneath Europa.
-
Europa’s Hidden Ocean Could Be ‘Fed’ by Sinking Salted Ice; New Study Boosts Hopes for Alien Life
Europa, one of Jupiter’s icy moons, may have a more habitable ocean than once thought. New simulations show that dense, salt-rich ice on the surface can slowly sink through the moon’s thick ice shell and drip into the hidden ocean below. This process would deliver nutrients and oxidants over geological timescales, potentially sustaining conditi...
-
Spider-Like Scar on Jupiter’s Moon Europa Could Indicate Subsurface Salty Water
A spider-like scar on Jupiter’s moon Europa may indicate briny water beneath its icy crust. Researchers suggest impact-driven flows of salty liquid created starburst patterns resembling Earth’s lake stars. Future observations by NASA’s Europa Clipper mission could confirm these features, offering new insights into Europa’s subsurface oceans...
-
Icy Moons Might Have Oceans That Briefly Boil, Study Suggests
A new study suggests that icy moons such as Mimas and Enceladus may host boiling subsurface oceans triggered by thinning ice shells and falling pressure. This low-temperature boiling could still support life beneath the surface. The research also explains geological features on larger icy moons and strengthens their potential as sites for finding e...
-
Boiling Oceans May Hide Beneath Icy Moons, New Study Suggests
A new study suggests that icy moons such as Mimas and Enceladus may host boiling subsurface oceans triggered by thinning ice shells and falling pressure. This low-temperature boiling could still support life beneath the surface. The research also explains geological features on larger icy moons and strengthens their potential as sites for finding e...
-
German Scientists Develop Laser Drill to Explore Icy Moons’ Hidden Oceans
Scientists from TU Dresden have created a laser drill that vaporises ice to reach potential subsurface oceans on Europa and Enceladus. Lighter and more energy-efficient than mechanical drills, it enables deep exploration with minimal power, paving the way for studying icy worlds and their potential for extraterrestrial life.
-
Saturn’s Moon Enceladus Spouts Complex Organics That Could Hold Clues to Life
Analysis of Cassini data confirms Saturn’s moon Enceladus emits organic molecules, suggesting its subsurface ocean may harbor chemistry conducive to life.
-
Scientists Explore Role of Space Radiation in Powering Alien Microbial Life
A new study proposes that life may exist far from sunlight in a “radiolytic habitable zone” deep beneath the icy surfaces of Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. Cosmic rays, which can penetrate rock and ice, break water molecules apart to release hydrogen, oxygen, and energy-rich electrons. These can fuel microbes in subsurface water, much like bacter...
-
Europa Could Briefly Sustain Life When the Sun Becomes a Red Giant Star, Scientists Say
Scientists at Cornell’s Carl Sagan Institute propose that Jupiter’s moon Europa could host life for up to 200 million years during the sun’s red giant phase. While Earth would be incinerated, Europa’s subsurface oceans might temporarily support microbial life, offering a final refuge in the solar system and expanding the search for biosigna...
-
Space Exploration Highlights 2024: Lunar Missions, Mars Discoveries, and More
2024 saw significant space exploration advancements. Japan's SLIM mission exceeded expectations, while NASA’s Perseverance found evidence of ancient life on Mars. The Europa Clipper launched to investigate subsurface oceans on Jupiter's moon Europa, promising new discoveries by 2030.
