A new study suggests that Jupiter's moon, Europa, may hold the basic chemical composition to host life. The researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory claims that more Earth-like components under the icy-laden surface of the moon that host a good balance of energy for life to thrive, mentioned in their new study.
Beneath the icy surface of Europa, researchers believe that a deep ocean with a salty composition covers most of the surface of Jupiter's moon. The excitement comes from the new revelation that the hydrogen and oxygen mix of the ocean is relatively close, which highly resembles Earth's ratio, according to the Daily Mail.
This balance between the two elements is a key indicator of the possibility of sustaining life. A planetary scientist at NASA, Steve Vance, stated that they are observing the alien ocean using "methods developed to understand the movement of energy and nutrients in Earth's own systems."
NASA has yet to prove whether or not life and the biological process at work would be enough to sustain life similarly on Earth, but researchers believe that it is likely an exciting expedition, according to Discovery News. It is stated that if the rocky core of the moon is cold enough, this would be easier to fracture, which results in a huge amount of hydrogen to be emitted.
This chemical process is a direct result of "serpentinization that would balance the oxidants in a ratio comparable to that in Earth's oceans," Vance said.
The study also revealed that Europa is emitting more heat than what was previously believed. The heat energy created by the moon is caused by tidal dissipation, which is the result of the Jupiter's massive gravitational field. The findings were discovered by the use of computer modeling and laboratory experiments, reported Tech Times.
The new discovery comes in a timely fashion as it's greatly regarded as a potentially fruitful expedition for NASA's forthcoming Juno mission. The mission is planned to go into Jupiter's orbit this coming summer.
