Implications for Europa?

[Varangian (John)]

Life can exist in the most extreme environments.

What are the implications for Europa here?


http://www.australiangeographic.com....antarctica.htm

[Scorpius51 (John)]

It is encouraging, but the surface temperatures on Europa are around -150 to -200 C, so any life form would need to be pretty tough! I wouldn't rule it out though, because we can only speculate on the basis of life forms that we know about. There's a lot that we don't know.

Cheers
John

[Varangian (John)]

Yes it would need to be very tough unless it aligned itself within defined heat zones such as hydro-thermals. Isn't it the gravitational tidal pull of Jupiter creating enough heat under the ice to potentially keep the water from freezing. I'm really not sure, I just thought the article may have relevance.

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

you are on to it here John , and thanks .
I have read a lot on life in our solar system ( apart from Earth ) and yes chances are it might have evolved there , you have to remember Europa's been there the same 4.5 BILLION ! years as our planet Earth . . 2.5 billion since life started .......
Long time .
Dont knock it till its been found . .
Brian.

Originally Posted by Varangian

Yes it would need to be very tough unless it aligned itself within defined heat zones such as hydro-thermals. Isn't it the gravitational tidal pull of Jupiter creating enough heat under the ice to potentially keep the water from freezing. I'm really not sure, I just thought the article may have relevance.

[pluto (Hugh)]

And these days Enceladus looks just as, if not more, promising!

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

Titan ?
They say in another 5 billion years when our sun goes red giant for a billion years or so , Titan will be another Earth ? , Oxygen / nitrogen with trace elements will be perfect and warm enough .
I'm there .
Brian.

Originally Posted by pluto

And these days Enceladus looks just as, if not more, promising!

[Peter Ward]

Clarke had it sussed long ago:

ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS
EXCEPT EUROPA
ATTEMPT NO LANDING THERE

[Barrykgerdes]

To be very basic there are three categories of material mineral, vegetable and animal.

The first, mineral, can exist just about anywhere

The second, vegetable, needs a good supply of the first and include CO2 and H2O in liquid form but not so hot that it will "cook" it and an energy source to process the CO2 +H2O into CH2O2 +O (and other carbohydrates)

The third, Animal, needs the first two but a much tighter temperature range to turn the CH2O2 +O into energy and more complex carbohydrates and expel CO2

In between there are hybrids that join the mineral to vegetable and vegetable into animal

If all these conditions are present there is a good chance that life will form all it needs is the "seed" a special form of mineral compound that can be self replicating by absorbing energy.

Barry