4 celestial bodies of the solar system, which are most suitable for life

And if life is in such an uncomfortable place, then it can easily be found on other celestial bodies. Dr. Garrett Dorian, a solar physics researcher, names The four most promising worlds for alien life in the solar system four more places in which primitive microorganisms are most likely to be found.

1. Mars

Mars is the most Earth-like planet in the solar system. A day on it lasts 24.5 hours, there are polar ice caps that expand and contract depending on the time of year, and a significant area of the planet, apparently, was once upon a time covered with water - that is, there was an ocean there.

A couple of years ago, liquid water was discovered under the red planet's southern polar cap using radar on the Mars Express probe. And in the atmosphere of Mars there is methane, and its volume depends on the season and even the time of day. The real source of the gas is unknown, and it may well be of biological origin.

Perhaps there was once life on Mars, given that earlier conditions on it were much more favorable. Now there is a thin, dry atmosphere, almost entirely composed of carbon dioxide, and the absence of a magnetic field. All this does not provide any meaningful protection from solar radiation. However, living organisms can still remain on Mars in underground lakes, only getting to them will not be easy.

2. Europe

Europa was discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, along with three other larger moons of Jupiter. It is slightly larger than the Moon and revolves around the gas giant at a distance of about 670,000 km, making a revolution in 42.5 hours. Europa constantly contracts and expands under the influence of the gravitational fields of Jupiter and other Galilean satellites (Io, Ganymede and Calypso) - this is called tidal heating.

Almost the entire surface of Europe is covered with ice. Most scientists assume that there is a huge ocean under the frozen surface that does not freeze due to tidal warming. Its depth reaches 100 km.

Evidence of this ocean's existence is geysers breaking through cracks in the ice, the presence of a weak magnetic field, and uneven ice relief, possibly created by deep currents. The ice sheet insulates the underground ocean from extreme cold and space vacuum, as well as powerful radiation from Jupiter.

At the bottom of this ocean, we can find hydrothermal vents and underwater volcanoes. And on Earth, in such conditions, very rich and diverse ecosystems are often found.

3. Enceladus

Like Europa, Enceladus is an ice-covered moon (Saturn's this time) that may have an ocean under the ice. It was this celestial body that first attracted the attention of scientists as a potentially inhabited world, when geysers were unexpectedly discovered near its South Pole. Jets of water burst from cracks in the surface and, due to the weak gravitational field of Enceladus, fly away in a spray directly into space.

In these geysers, not only water was found, but also many organic molecules, as well as, most importantly, tiny grains of solid silicate particles. They can be present only if the water in the ocean under the ice is in contact with the rocky bottom at a temperature of at least 90 ° C. And this is convincing evidence of the existence of hydrothermal springs on Enceladus, which provide both the substances necessary for life and heat.

4. Titanium

Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the only moon in the solar system with a more or less dense atmosphere. It is covered with thick clouds of complex organic molecules, and it rains on its surface - not from water, but from methane. The relief here is represented by wind-driven sand dunes.

Titan's atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen, an important chemical element involved in the construction of proteins in all known terrestrial life forms. Radar observations revealed the presence on the planet of rivers and lakes made of liquid methane and ethane and the possible presence of cryovolcanoes, erupting not lava, but water. This suggests that Titan, like Europa and Enceladus, has a supply of liquid water below the surface.

It is chilly on Titan (-180 ° C), but the abundance of complex chemicals suggests that there are primitive life forms there - though not similar to any known terrestrial organisms.