Life on Europa??

One of humanity’s greatest wonders is if life could exist outside of Earth. Surely humans are not the only living creatures to exist in the entire universe, but where could other organisms flourish? Scientists have identified three key criteria that make life possible: liquid water, chemistry, and energy. Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons and the sixth-largest in the Solar System, may provide a suitable environment for other life forms!

Photo of Europa take by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft

One of the largest revelations about Europa is that it likely contains a salty ocean buried beneath its icy crust. In fact, scientists hypothesize that this ocean contains twice as much water as all of the oceans on Earth combined! Further, the moon undergoes tidal flexing due to the unequal effects of gravitational attraction between it and Jupiter. As the moon is repeatedly squeezed in and out, heat is generated. This brings us to the next important part of Europa’s ocean – it is likely liquid! The heat generated from the tidal flexing allows the ocean water to stay liquid, even beneath the icy crust.

To maintain life, certain elements must be present in the environment. These elements include carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and phosphorus. Scientists believe that many of these elements may be located within Europa’s icy shell and inner core. Additionally, while Europa’s atmosphere is this, it is primarily composed of oxygen.

Finally, Europa receives a steady source of energy from its parent planet, Jupiter. Unlike Earth, which receives energy from sunlight, Europa is constantly hit by radiation from Jupiter, fueling it with energy. This energy has the potential to be harnessed by microbial organisms living beneath the crust in the form of chemical energy. Despite the intense radiation making Europa’s crust inhabitable, life beneath the crust could thrive!