Enceladus has it all, new study reveals!
's oceans. The discovery, announced in a paper published Wednesday , shows that the icy moon, already one of the hottest candidates in the search for alien life, now satisfies"the strictest requirement of habitability."
's E ring, a tenuous halo of tiny ice particles. It was these particles that hit Cassini's instruments during its flybys.previous research While browsing through measurements of over 300 ice grains sampled by the Cassini spacecraft and the data reproduced in the lab for validation purposes, the team behind the new study spotted nine grains that had a clear fingerprint of orthophosphate, which is the only form of phosphorus that"It was a tantalizing moment when I first realized that these spectra very likely show phosphates," Postberg said, adding that his team was agnostic while analyzing the data.
"No one would be surprised if there's phosphate in the rock of Enceladus. There's phosphates on comets … it is not a big deal," Postberg said."The big deal is that it is dissolved in the ocean and with that [it's] readily available for the potential formation of life."The discovery has implications beyond Enceladus' corner in the solar system.
Österreich Neuesten Nachrichten, Österreich Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Saturn’s Icy Moon Enceladus Has All the Ingredients Needed to Make Life'Our Cassini-[Cosmic Dust Analyzer] measurements leave no doubt that substantial quantities of this essential substance are present in the ocean water,' Frank Postberg, a planetary scientist at Freie Universitat Berlin who led the new study, said.
Weiterlesen »
Saturn’s moon Enceladus could support species similar to Earth | EngadgetSaturn’s moon Enceladus could support species similar to Earth
Weiterlesen »
A Moon of Saturn Has All the Ingredients Needed for LifeA salty ocean hidden under the icy shell of a tiny moon orbiting Saturn has all the key building blocks of life, suggesting the world is habitable, according to new research
Weiterlesen »
Every essential ingredient for life exists on an ocean moon in our solar systemPhosphorus, a necessary component of DNA and other biological molecules, is present on Saturn's ocean moon Enceladus.
Weiterlesen »
Scientists discovered a crucial element for life gushing out of Saturn's icy ocean moonAstronomers have confirmed the presence of phosphates — a crucial ingredient for life — in a plume of icy water gushing out of Saturn's moon Enceladus.
Weiterlesen »
Video shows dramatic rescue of driver who drove off highway, crashed into oceanAccording to officials, the driver, who has not been identified, drove off the highway and went straight into the water.
Weiterlesen »