Jupiter’s moon Europa has a shallow lake
November 17th, 2011 - 8:39 pm ICT by Aishwarya BhattWashington, Nov 17 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Scientists have announced that they have the best evidence yet of water on Jupiter. In a new study which was published in the Nature journal, the scientists say the water is located inside the crust of one of the planet’s moon called Europa.
The finding is encouraging because the sign of water could point to the possibility that the planet can support life. Man has been hunting for another habitable planet for decades. The scientists say the water is found 30 kilometers beneath the surface of the moon.
Though the research offers massive promise, the next challenge is how the scientists could get the water out. The surface of the Europa moon is made of thick icy layer which cannot easily be broken.
University of Edinburgh’s glaciologist Martin Siegert told BBC that, “You get freezing [water] between the cracks… so you end up with the existing ice cemented in with new ice. The underside then freezes again, which causes the uplifting; its pretty neat.”
Space scientists have for years tried to reach Europa. BBC reports that US and European space scientists plan to get on the moons of Jupiter before or just after the end of the next decade.
- Water found on Jupiter moon - Nov 17, 2011
- Five places where life may exist in solar system - Mar 02, 2012
- 'Goldilocks' zone of life in space far bigger than originally thought - Dec 31, 2009
- Oxygen atmosphere found on Saturn's moon - Nov 26, 2010
- Ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa may harbor 3 million tons of fish - Nov 18, 2009
- Experts may reach bottom of Antarctic lake in 2014 - Feb 09, 2012
- Giant ocean found on Saturn's moon - Jun 30, 2012
- New ice-melting probe could help penetrate frozen environs on Earth, Mars - May 02, 2011
- Jupiters gravity might be brewing a nutritious soup for life on Europa - Dec 11, 2008
- Pluto may be warm enough to harbour ocean beneath its ice shell - Dec 18, 2010
- NASA launches Jupiter probe - Aug 05, 2011
- Flowers may bloom on Jupiter's icy moon Europa - May 06, 2009
- Saturnian moon may have fizzy ocean capable of harbouring life - Jan 29, 2011
- Europa helps solve mystery of Jupiter's missing belt - Feb 10, 2011
- Enceladus Spits Fumes, Scientists Awestruck - Feb 25, 2010
Tags: bbc, best evidence, cracks, decades, european space scientists, freezing water, glaciologist, habitable planet, kilometers, life man, moon europa, moons of jupiter, nature journal, next decade, shallow lake, siegert, surface of the moon, university of edinburgh