Saturn's Ocean Moon Enceladus Has All The Building Blocks For Life, Research Shows

New research based on Cassini data strengthens the idea that Enceladus has the chemicals necessary for life.

The work centers on the discovery of ammonia and inorganic phosphorous in Enceladus' ocean. The researchers used ecological and metabolic theory and modelling to understand how these chemicals could make Enceladus amenable to life. "Whatever its explanation, the correspondence between the quantities of biologically available nitrogen and phosphorus in the sea and the proportions in which they are utilized by the plankton is a phenomenon of the greatest interest," Redfield said in the conclusion of

Analysis of Cassini's data from Enceladus' plumes shows a high level of inorganic phosphate in the ocean. Other geochemical simulations based on Cassini's findings indicate the same. The researchers developed a new, more detailed model for methanogens on Enceladus to see if they could survive and thrive there. Their model leaned heavily on the Redfield ratio. They found that though phosphorous is present in high levels in the moon's ocean, the overall ratio"may be limiting to Earth-like cells."

Understanding ecosystems as a whole is the next step. There's a bewildering number of factors to consider. Cell size, nutrient availability, radiation, salinity, temperature. On and on. But to understand the overall chemical environment at Enceladus, Europa, or anywhere else, we need more detailed data.

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Studies of geologic faulting on icy moons aid exploration of extraterrestrial watery worldsEarth and space scientists document and reveal the mechanisms behind strike-slip faulting on the largest moon of Saturn, Titan, and Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede.
Source: ScienceDaily - 🏆 452. / 53 Read more »

Saturn's Rings Will Disappear in 2025—Here's WhyThe rings are incredibly thin, with a vertical height of around 30 feet in some places.
Source: Newsweek - 🏆 468. / 52 Read more »

Cosmic countdown: Saturn's rings will be gone for 7 yearsInteresting Engineering is a cutting edge, leading community designed for all lovers of engineering, technology and science.
Source: IntEngineering - 🏆 287. / 63 Read more »

TESS discovers Saturn-like planet orbiting an M-dwarf starAstronomers have discovered a new giant exoplanet orbiting an M-dwarf star using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The newly detected alien world, designated TOI-5344 b is similar in size and mass to Saturn. The finding is reported in a paper published October 31 on the pre-print server arXiv.
Source: physorg_com - 🏆 388. / 55 Read more »

Saturn’s rings are disappearing, will be invisible from Earth in 2025Saturn's rings are mostly made up of ice, asteroids, comets and moon fragments. In May 2025, the massive celestial loops will be effectively invisible to the human eye.
Source: FoxNews - 🏆 9. / 87 Read more »

Saturn's rings will vanish from view in 2025: NASANew research suggests that Saturn's famous icy rings, which have been a captivating sight for skygazers, may not be visible in the future. NASA's Cassini mission has analysed captured data, revealing insights into the rings' longevity and eventual disappearance.
Source: nypost - 🏆 91. / 67 Read more »