Life on Jupiter Moon Europa May Hide in Depths to Survive

Nola Taylor Redd, Astrobiology Magazine

Date: 04 April 2012 Time: 07:00 AM ET

Europa, as viewed from NASA’s Galileo spacecraft. Visible are plains of bright ice, cracks that run to the horizon, and dark patches that likely contain both ice and dirt. CREDIT: NASA/Ted Stryk View full size image

Considered one of the best potential sources for extraterrestrial life in the solar system, Jupiter's moon Europa may host life in the ocean deep beneath the moon's icy crust.
Some organisms could even travel to Europa's surface through cracks and instabilities in the crust, some researchers speculate. But radiation from Jupiter's magnetosphere constantly bombards the moon and could annihilate life at shallow depths, making it difficult to detect with an orbiter or lander.


MORE: http://www.space.com/15152-jupiter-moon-europa-life.html



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