NASA’s Recent Finding Brings Light in Life Beyond Earth Theory
Jupiter’s moon Europa has been an intriguing subject for a while now among astronomers. They assumed that Europa is holding a salty ocean beneath its dense icy shell that could develop life. Recently, NASA succeeds in giving a better insight. The Space Company’s discovery indicated water erupting from the big geysers on Europa’s surface. The research team conducted by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center published their study about the existence of water vapor on Jupiter’s moon. The official statement reads, “Confirming that water vapor is present above Europa helps scientists better understand the inner workings of the moon.” Also, “…it helps support an idea, of which scientists are confident, that there’s a liquid water ocean, possibly twice as big as Earth’s, sloshing beneath this moon’s miles-thick ice shell.”
Moreover, scientists could measure the moon’s water vapor with the most significant world’s telescopes from the Keck Observatory, studying the moon for 17 consecutive nights. Their research was developed between February 2016 through May 2917, and it ended with positive results. It identified vapor erupting thanks to a specific infrared signal. Also, approximately 5,202 pounds of water vapor was detected. Lucas Paganini, a NASA planetary scientist, added: “…two of three requirements for life, are found all over the solar system.”
The first time when scientists released their theories about the possibility of an ocean underneath Europa’s area was in 1977. After many decades, however, the evidence of water beneath Europa’s frozen crust was analyzed thanks to a 2018 research on the Galileo spacecraft from 1997. The Hubble Telescope, too, made a significant discovery in 2013, when it detected hydrogen and oxygen in Europa’s atmosphere.
NASA’s plans involve a mid-2020 launch of its Europa Clipper project to analyze the moon’s habitability. The designed spacecraft will subsequently cross the moon many times to look for the three essential elements for life.
Doris’s passion for writing started to take shape in college where she was editor-in-chief of the college newspaper. Even though she ended up working in IT for more than 7 years, she’s now back to what he always enjoyed doing. With a true passion for technology, Doris mostly covers tech-related topics.
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