Scientists say studies suggest Enceladus may hide microscopic life
Scientists think Saturn's moon Enceladus might actually be hiding tiny life forms beneath its icy surface.
The moon has a huge ocean under the ice, with plumes containing trace amounts of salts and organic compounds and possible clues that something could be living there.
Frank Postberg, lead author of one and co-author of the other of these new studies and professor at Freie Universitat Berlin, says we can already start looking for signs of life by analyzing these ice particles with the technology we have now.
Methanothermococcus okinawensis survives Enceladus ocean simulation
In lab tests mimicking Enceladus's ocean, a microbe from Earth called Methanothermococcus okinawensis not only survived but thrived, even with little oxygen or carbon dioxide.
This gives scientists hope that similar life could exist on Enceladus.
The research team is excited for upcoming missions like the European Space Agency's L4, which could help scientists learn more about Enceladus's oceans and whether life exists there.