Europa : The Possibility of Life
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What is Europa ?
Europa, one of Jupiter's largest moons, has signs for potential extraterrestrial life. Beneath its thick icy crust, evidence suggests there is a vast, subsurface ocean that may have the conditions to support life.
Ocean Beneath the Crust
The Crust is the surface layer of a planet. Beneath the crust there is said to be a large ocean which is two times bigger than Earth’s ocean. Even though Europa is far away from the Sun , it has enough heat to sustain liquid water because of a phenomenon called Tidal heating .
Tidal heating is caused due to strong pull from Jupiter and the Sun. This Tidal heating can produce enough heat energy to sustain liquid water beneath the surface of the planet , and water being important for life there may be possible life on Europa.
The best evidence of the ocean under Europa’s surface is from “ Galileo “ a spacecraft launched by NASA which flew past Europa gathered few evidence about the myth of the ocean underneath. Scientists are still in the hunt for life in Europa , NASA is also planning on sending another spacecraft to explore more of Europa.