When looking for signs of life beyond earthScientists aren’t just focusing on other planets. You can also find it in the Moon, for example. On ours or on any other planet. This is the case of Europebecause recently a team of scientists from Stanford University and NASA found evidence of surface water on this satellite Jupiter.
We already knew there was water. However, a ice crust prevented from studying it in depth. It was an obstacle, or so they believed, because it was precisely this layer of ice that allowed these scientists to suspect that there could be water pockets much more superficial. And the fact that they are superficial is not a trifle, because this proximity to the surface could allow him to pick up nutrients from nearby celestial bodiess and thus generate a perfect breeding ground for the proliferation of life.
Does this mean that there is life in Europe? On the continent yes, on the jupiter’s moon We do not know it. There is simply the assumption that there is one of the important parts for there to be life. But even if this piece were real, we cannot be sure that it indicates the present or past presence of living beings. Even so, it’s a most exciting find, as it’s a good yarn to start pulling.
Europa, the smallest of Jupiter’s Galilean moons
In 1610, the physicist Galileo I observed Jupiter with a self-made telescope when something caught his eye. In the vicinity of the planet there were three stars, which after several days of observation turned out to be four and revolve around it. He named them as medical starsin honor of his former pupil Cosimo II de’ Medici.
However, after later and more precise observations by other astronomers, it was decided to change their name. It was concluded that they were satellites of Jupiter. For this reason, this time in honor of its discoverer, his group was baptized as galilean moons. Each of them also received a separate name: Europa, Io, Callisto and Ganymede.
Jupiter’s moons were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610
Europe is the smallest of them and possibly also the youngest, since its small number of craters indicates that there were not many impacts on its surface. It is believed to hold oxygen and it has long been thought that under its ice cap there may be liquid water. Everything points to essential ingredients for life, which is why this was one of the main objectives of the Galileo probewith which NASA metaphorically brought the physicist back to his discovery, almost 400 years later, in 1995.
The data taken at that time continues to be studied today and was precisely that which made it possible to develop the new hypothesis which has just been published in Nature Communication.
Serendipity and extraterrestrial life
Many great scientific discoveries are made by chance. It’s something called serendipity and this is precisely what has led to the development of this recent research.
One of the study’s authors, a predoctoral student at Stanford University Riley Culbergwas conducting research that had nothing to do with Jupiter, let alone Europa.
The discovery happened by chance, when a scientist who was studying the ice of Greenland saw the results of another research group on Europe.
Specialized in electronic engineering, he analyzed computer ice structures present in Greenland. This is important because the growth and retreat of ice caps can help understand sea level rise and, thus, build predictive models of different scenarios associated with climate change.
He had data from radars used between 2015 and 2017 in the NASA’s Operation IceBridge. These showed a curious double ridge-like structure which, according to available data, must have formed because the ice fractured around a refreezing pressurized pocket of liquid water.
Culberg was mixing all this data when he went to his university to presentation of a research group studying the surface of Europa using data from the Galileo probe. This is something quite common in science. Researchers make periodic presentations of their results so that their colleagues can be informed.
Although it was not his specialty, the predoctoral student went to it and something powerfully caught his attention: Jupiter’s moon had a structure of double crest very similar to the one he studied in Greenland. That meant he had data in front of him from an Earth analogue in Europe, which could help discern whether there really could be life on this moon of Jupiter. He decided to discuss it with these scientists and they all started a collaboration which led to a very interesting new hypothesis.
Keys hidden in the ice of Europe
Starting from the Greenland base, it was possible to model what could happen in Europe. Thus, these scientists concluded that the ridges must have formed because water from a shallow ocean rose through the ice through different fractures, giving rise to these characteristic peaks.
Therefore, the hypothesis that there could really be surface water on Europa has again gained a lot of strength. Until now, it was all about hypotheses, but this time they had hard data. Data taken on Earth, in a place bearing a fascinating resemblance to the appearance of Jupiter’s moon.
In the future, these scientists hope to have an ice-penetrating radar
In the future, these scientists hope to have ice-penetrating radar to see beyond Europa’s icy crust. Only in this way could they verify whether it actually exists surface water on the Galilean moon. If so, we would be looking at an interesting place to look for signs of life, present or past. Keep in mind that these wouldn’t be little green men, but the smallest single-celled life form would be cause for celebration. Even so, let’s not throw the bells on the fly, because these signs can mean many other things. Step by step, we have enough for now to deal with some life forms here on Earth.
