8 objects in the solar system where life can be found

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Exoplanets are good, but I would like to find life even a little closer. Forbes magazine found that you can start looking for the simplest organisms right in the neighborhood, starting with the solar system. Where exactly - now we will find out.

Despite the fact that among the entire solar system only our Earth can boast of the presence of life, we do not lose hope of finding organisms on other celestial bodies. After all, the ingredients necessary for life - individual elements or chemical combinations - can be found almost everywhere. There are especially many of them in the atmospheres of gas giants, on the surfaces of moons, asteroids and comets. Even in interstellar space, there is the necessary material for the origin of life.

But the mere presence of organic molecules is not enough, because the possibility does not necessarily mean its realization. Only a few celestial bodies are really interesting from the point of view of the origin of life. After all, combinations of chemical elements and natural conditions are uniquely combined here. It may well be that this is where we will find the first signs of extraterrestrial life.

Europe

Jupiter's second moon, Europa, appears to be too far from the Sun for life to appear here. But this celestial body has two features that must be taken into account. Firstly, Europe has more water than the rest of the Earth. Moreover, it is constantly warmed up, and a huge ocean of liquid water is hidden under the surface of the ice on the surface of the satellite. Perhaps hydrothermal vents are hidden under its thickness - they could have formed under the influence of Jupiter's gravity. If so, there is every reason to believe that Europe is alive.

Enceladus

The "icy" moon of Saturn is even smaller and farther from the Sun than Europa. But even here, a huge ocean was found, which is also under the ice. Research has shown that Enceladus is a very unusual celestial body. Water on its surface is constantly erupting from numerous geysers. And this is an excellent reason to expect that the molecules necessary for life (methane or ammonia), combined with warm and constantly moving water, could form life. Of course, Enceladus does not look as promising as Europe, but it should not be discounted either.

Mars

Once upon a time, the red planet was clearly very, very similar to Earth. Probably, this was the first billion years for the solar system - and then rivers flowed along the surface of Mars, merging into lakes, seas and oceans. We see traces of water today, and the Curiosity rover has found an active underground source of methane. Is there life on Mars? Or maybe she was here? The Red Planet literally teases us and drives us crazy with the unknown.

Titanium

If Enceladus and Europa are generally similar to Earth, then in the case of Titan, we hope to see life originated in completely different conditions. The second largest moon in the solar system, Titan has a very dense and thick atmosphere. On its surface there are lakes, oceans and "waterfalls" made of liquid methane. Researchers are very interested in the question: could it have happened that life arose from this substance, just as we all exist thanks to water. If methane is good for this, then Titan is probably inhabited by living organisms.

Venus

I must say that Venus is really hell. After all, this planet is the hottest in the solar system (its surface temperature is 464 ° C). It is so hot because of the thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. It is not worth looking for life on the surface of this planet. But you can try to look elsewhere - in the upper atmosphere. They are very similar to terrestrial ones - the same temperature and pressure, and the composition is less aggressive. It may be that life originated here thanks to accumulations of carbon dioxide.

Triton

The largest moon of Neptune rotates in the "wrong" direction - counterclockwise. Surprisingly, such a distant celestial body is almost completely covered with the elements necessary for the emergence of life. There is nitrogen, oxygen, methane, and also ice. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that primitive organisms could well have appeared on Triton.

Ceres

You may think we are crazy, but we are really ready to view the asteroid as a place for the origin of life. After all, when such a celestial body falls to Earth, at least 20 amino acids and many other substances necessary for the emergence of life can be found in its remnants. And, of course, we cannot seriously say that there is life on Ceres. But we are carefully investigating the possibility that a series of collisions of asteroids with the Kuiper belt and their fall to Earth led to the emergence of life on our planet.

Pluto

The most underestimated dwarf planet with a low surface temperature would not seem like a great option for you to settle. But it has an atmosphere, weather, ice and oceans, so you can't cross it off this list. Of course, to know if we're right or wrong, New Horizons needs to land on Pluto's surface. Let's be patient, friends.