Evidence That Saturn’s Moon Enceladus Has Liquid Water Oceans!

[GennGreymane]

http://www.astronomy.com/news/2014/0...de-saturn-moon

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft and Deep Space Network have uncovered evidence that Saturn’s moon Enceladus harbors a large underground ocean of liquid water, furthering scientific interest in the moon as a potential home to extraterrestrial microbes.

Researchers theorized the presence of an interior reservoir of water in 2005 when Cassini discovered water vapor and ice spewing from vents near the moon’s south pole. The new data provide the first geophysical measurements of the internal structure of Enceladus, consistent with the existence of a hidden ocean inside the moon.

[Trassk]

Before star trek fans start wetting themselves at this, just be aware, odds are Saturns moons are a wee bit far away from the sun to get any kind of nutrients to sustain life outside of microbes.

[Herecius]

Before star trek fans start wetting themselves at this, just be aware, odds are Saturns moons are a wee bit far away from the sun to get any kind of nutrients to sustain life outside of microbes.

I always reliably point to the ecosystems surrounding deep sea vents that survive in what is essentially a closed system, not really at all reliant on the nutrients that fall from the upper layers of the ocean like the rest of the deep sea ecosystems are. I put none of my cards on the table when it comes to making bets about what life on other worlds might take the form of, as extremophile life forms are going to look very strange in almost every instance of their existence.

[Heathy]

Its gunna take a bit more than a hatchback sized rover to get a sample from there if its x kilometres under the surface.

[Stir]

Before star trek fans start wetting themselves at this, just be aware, odds are Saturns moons are a wee bit far away from the sun to get any kind of nutrients to sustain life outside of microbes.

The sun isn't really necessary to sustain life itself, however. Chemical reactions can do that just fine.
But that probably requires a fluid core, and ample vulcanic activity... And while the radiation of the sun is not necessary for that, the distance to the sun may indicate that no materials heavy enough, and in such fluch, will probably be found in large numbers so far away from the sun.

So I'll just stop nitpicking.

[someotherguy]

Besides looking for life, should people also spread life? Should we try to bring some from earth and plant it there? You know - in case Earth gets destroyed by a rogue planet or something.

[Gheld]

Pretty awesome. Now if only the public will existed to spend what is spent on frivolous military endeavours on space exploration. We'd already have a fucking base on Mars by now.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm sure they'll think of something.

Also they've already theorized since the discovery of oceans on Europa; the idea of a probe that is essentially a torpedo shaped body with a nuclear reactor inside that would slowly melt it's way through the ice.

[Netherspark]

Its gunna take a bit more than a hatchback sized rover to get a sample from there if its x kilometres under the surface.

They'll position a probe from an orbiter in the path of one of the 100km high geysers, and analyse the water from that.

[Deleted]

Pretty awesome. Now if only the public will existed to spend what is spent on frivolous military endeavours on space exploration. We'd already have a fucking base on Mars by now.

Fucking A.

[Gheld]

Actually that would be awesome, having some kind of automated manufactory on Mars to assemble space probes to send to the outer planets and launch them from there when it's orbital position is right. No more of this 7 years to saturn bullshit.

[GennGreymane]

We just need to really fund science.... WE MUST ELECT NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON FOR PRESIDENT!!!

[Deleted]

Then they take something home with them that will wipe out humanity once they go there to check on it. :|

[Wells]

Then they take something home with them that will wipe out humanity once they go there to check on it. :|

Would cook on reentry.

[Garnier Fructis]

Would cook on reentry.

So the real question is whether or not it's tasty.

[Tradewind]

I vote we sent a space craft full of Kool-Aid powder, or Tang to honor NASA's history...and see if we can make a giant Moon full of Tang!

For science!

[Kraenen]

what's the point of going out there? does it give you an orgasm? keep your orgasms to yourself, don't spread em all over the universe!

[Garthor]

Before star trek fans start wetting themselves at this, just be aware, odds are Saturns moons are a wee bit far away from the sun to get any kind of nutrients to sustain life outside of microbes.

Life adapts, man. Things live on the floor of the Mariana trench, there are microbes in boiling hot geysers/springs in Yellowstone. So what's to say life can't exist in a place that doesn't get much light?

[Kraenen]

Life adapts, man. Things live on the floor of the Mariana trench, there are microbes in boiling hot geysers/springs in Yellowstone. So what's to say life can't exist in a place that doesn't get much light?

Life adapts...Lamarckian evolution?

[Deleted]

I can't wait to see how all the religious nutjobs will react if life on another planet is confirmed

[OzoAndIndi]

what's the point of going out there? does it give you an orgasm? keep your orgasms to yourself, don't spread em all over the universe!

No, it gives us organisms. >.<