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"All these worlds are yours except Europa. Attempt no landings there." Man, I would love to see a probe that can find out if there is life on Europa in my life
by 100k 17y ago
"All these worlds are yours except Europa. Attempt no landings there."
Man, I would love to see a probe that can find out if there is life on Europa in my lifetime. That would be so amazing.
- Mongoose 17y agoPerhaps we can help make the conclusion of 3001: The Final Odyssey a reality?
- zokier 17y agoJupiters moons sure are interesting, but aren't they bit cold for life?
- lbrandy 17y agoMaybe, but not necessarily. The heat on Europa would not come from the sun but from the gravitational friction (tidal flexing) caused by Jupiter. This would likely cause quite a bit of volcanic activity under the surface and possibly create deep underwater vents. There is an analogue on earth in the deep ocean and the so-called hydrothermal vents. There are ecosystems down there that exist without energy from the sun.
- stcredzero 17y agoA lot of the bacteria by those vents get their energy from sulfur compounds. Other creatures can then eat these bacteria. Europan life is likely to be cold, damp, and smelly!
- JCThoughtscream 17y agoAs we've discovered in the last few decades, life in general has no concept of "too cold" or "too hot," or even "too irradiated."
- StrawberryFrog 17y agoWe've pushed out the boundaries where earthly life is found a few 10s of degrees hotter and colder. I'd take that statement more seriously if it was a few 100s.
- JshWright 17y agoThe range of temperatures over which water is a liquid (assuming reasonable pressures) is well within the range of temperatures that sustain life on this planet.