NASA and ESA are both confident of finding extraterrestrial life on Mars and another group of scientists that they may be successful in finding life on Jupiter’s icy moon named Europa.
Scientists have come to this conclusion amid the facts that Europa contains icy waters and there is also a probability that there may be some briny oceans. This has made Europe another major target to search for extraterrestrial life.
Europa climate can be compared to that in Antarctic, as this area on Earth also has icy waters. Life can also be seen in Arctic which is considered as the most hostile place on Earth.
These researchers have also stated that life can thrive in ice as water has all the elements that are necessary for survival.
Pictures received from Galileo space craft have also revealed that Europa’s surface has fractured ice with domes and ridges. These fractures could very well bring up any life that could be thriving miles below the surface of Europa.
Researchers have also made a list of 25 types of life forms that can thrive in extreme conditions of Europa.
Europa also has reserves for all major life supporting elements that even include oxygen. They also state that liquid water at a temperature of 0-degree Celsius can be present in Europa due to the heat that is generated by tidal friction between the moon and its immense neighbor, Jupiter.
Similar to a turnover of Arctic ice that brings living beings on the surface a similar turnover on Europa could also yield the same results.
Researchers also stated that solar radiation would have killed any life that may be on the surface of Europa but this harmful radiation will not be able to penetrate more than 3 meters of ice, hence all life forms under ice should remain protected.
Researchers now want space agencies to launch a mission to Europa and they have also made a list of all those areas in Europa where some kind of life can be thriving.
Via: redorbit
