One Of Jupiter's 79 Moons Probably Has Alien Life, Claims Physics-Based Simulation

Could one of Jupiter's moons be harbouring alien life? A few scientists believe it's possible are now exploring its plausibility.?

For perspective, Jupiter is not like Earth at all. The gas giant has 79 moons. Scientists believe that one of these moons - Europa, could be host to alien life.

Why, you wonder? Unlike Jupiter the planet, its moon Europa has plenty of water and oxygen - the essential ingredients of life. Europa could also host chemicals that serve as nutrients for life to flourish.

The problem with understanding Europa is that we don't have any samples... and probably won't have any samples for decades to come until an Elon Musk type takes us to Europa.

NASA

Using a simulation to understand Europa

Europa is an icy world - with ice-covered oceans that are 24 kilometres thick. If life on Europa exists, it would beneath ice sheets.

It remains unclear how oxygen penetrates thick ice to reach organisms below. But now scientists have created a physics-based computer simulation to show what the process might look like.

Jupiter shadow by Ganymede | Kevin Gill/NASA/Juno

Also read:?See Jupiter's Beautiful Red And White Belts Like Never Before In New Pic

The simulation claims that oxygen essentially piggybacks on salt water situated beneath the moon's "chaos terrains" - landscapes made up of ridges, cracks, and ice blocks - essentially, chaotic. This means that it's possible for Europa's oceans to have similar amount of oxygen as oceans on Earth.

In essence, saltwater beneath Europa's icy shell could be transporting oxygen, scientists think. "It provides a solution to what is considered one of the outstanding problems of the habitability of the Europa subsurface ocean," Professor Marc Hesse from the University of Texas at Austin was quoted as saying by The Sun.

Also read:?Amazing Pic Shows Jupiter's Moon Ganymede's Shadow On The Gas Giant

NASA

In 2024, NASA is sending an orbiter called the Europa Clipper to assess Jupiter's one of 79 moons that could be hosting life. The study highlighting this simulation was published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal.

What do you think - does alien life exist on Europa? Let us know in the comments below.?For more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.

References

Sun, T. (2022, March 31). Alien life ‘probably’ exists on Jupiter’s moon. New York Post.?