Extraterrestrial Life Investigator Scours Icy Lunar Surface for Life Indicators
Searches for Alien Life on Enceladus, Saturn's Ice Moon
Since the initial discovery of a subterrestrial ocean under its icy crust, Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons, has emerged as a potentially life-friendly environment. Scientist Nozair Khawaja and his team at the Free University are conducting experiments to determine whether the necessary substances for life can form under the unique conditions on Enceladus.
Given its small size, distant location, and apparent icy exterior, Enceladus may not initially seem hospitable for life. However, a large subterranean water reservoir has piqued the interest of astrobiologists as it fits the criteria for habitability.
"Where there's water, there's the possibility of life," asserted Khawaja, adding that Enceladus is situated in a region that was previously thought to be unpromising for life beyond Earth. Unlike Mars or Jupiter, it was assumed to be too cold and receive insufficient sunlight.
The discovery of liquid water on Enceladus made headlines in 2005 when specialized instruments detected water jets and geysers at the moon's south pole. These water vapor and ice particles are propelled hundreds of kilometers into space through fissures in the ice.
While researchers have detected various organic compounds in the captured ice particles, it remains unclear whether they indicate biological activity or whether they originated from chemical reactions. In order to answer this question, Khawaja's team intends to simulate the conditions beneath Enceladus's icy shell in their lab.
If life were to be discovered on Enceladus, it would imply the potential existence of life on other celestial bodies featuring conditions conducive to human-like life in the future. According to Khawaja, "The discovery of extraterrestrial microbial life would provide hope that we may find traces of life elsewhere in the universe where suitable living conditions might exist."
For science fiction aficionados, a salient reminder from Khawaja: they are looking for simple life forms, such as bacteria, and not extraterrestrial beings resembling humans with two eyes, a nose, and limbs.
The European Union has initiatives in the field of science, health-and-wellness, and environmental-science, recognizing Enceladus' potential as a case study for life beyond Earth. Scientist Nozair Khawaja's team, researching life on Enceladus, also aims to explore the possibilities of life in space-and-astronomy.
