Ice Grains from Moons Enceladus and Europa Show Potential for Detecting Signs of Life

Sunday - March 31 2024, 20:55 UTC - 7 months ago

New research shows that instruments on upcoming space missions may be able to detect signs of life on the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter. The study focused on a specific bacterium as a potential model organism, with promising results for the potential of finding extraterrestrial life.

The hunt for extraterrestrial life has long been a fascination for scientists and the public alike. While there is still no conclusive evidence of life beyond Earth, recent discoveries have pointed towards the potential for finding it on the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter. In particular, the moons Enceladus and Europa have been identified as top candidates for harboring life within their ice-encrusted oceans .

A new lab-based study led by researchers from the University of Washington and the Freie Universität Berlin has shed more light on this possibility. Their research shows that individual ice grains ejected from these moons may contain enough material for advanced detection instruments to detect signs of life, if it exists.Lead author Fabian Klenner, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington, explains, "For the first time we have shown that even a tiny fraction of cellular material could be identified by a mass spectrometer onboard a spacecraft .

This gives us more confidence that with the upcoming instruments, we will be able to detect lifeforms similar to those on Earth that could potentially be present on these ocean-bearing moons."Published in Science Advances, the study used an experimental setup to simulate ice grains travelling through space at high speeds. While it is not currently feasible to directly replicate these conditions, the results give insight into what future missions might find .

The instruments used in this study were specifically those slated to go on the upcoming Europa Clipper mission.One of the key benefits of the study is the discovery that instruments like the SUrface Dust Analyzer can detect cellular material in one out of hundreds of thousands of ice grains. This is an important step towards being able to actually pinpoint and identify potential life forms in space .

The researchers focused on a specific bacterium, Sphingopyxis alaskensis, as a potential model organism for life on the icy moons. Unlike other commonly used organisms, this single-celled bacterium is much smaller and can survive in cold environments with limited nutrients, making it a better candidate for the harsh conditions of the moons.The Voyager and Cassini missions have both provided valuable information about the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter, with Cassini even discovering plumes containing gas and ice grains near Enceladus' south pole .

The upcoming Europa Clipper mission will provide even more advanced equipment and instruments to explore Europa in even greater detail.Overall, the study shows promising results for the potential of finding signs of life on the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter. With continued research and advancements in technology, the hunt for extraterrestrial life may one day become a reality.