Ever since reading the novel “2010“, I’ve been somewhat fascinated with Europa, a moon of Jupiter. As (correctly) depicted in the book, it’s a moon that is probably covered with an ocean of water, underneath a thick crust of ice.
Scientists think that the gravity of Jupiter might keep Europa geologically active, which means heat, which means that in the liquid water down deep, there might have formed life.
Now, there’s even more hints.
A recent theory (reported here in Wired) is that cosmic rays striking the ice may have libertaed free oxygen particles. As the ice sinks down and melts (new ice forming on top) this free oxygen can be released into the water. Therefore, even without photosynthesis, by some calculations, there might be enough oxygen to support millions of fish … or, um, fish-like aquatic lifeforms.
I’m not alone when I say that Europa is the most-likely place in our solar system for us to find complex life (uh, outside of Earth, obviously). But it still excites me to say it.
And, with luck, we’ll discover such life in my lifetime.
Grant Hamilton
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