Researchers are excited about a discovery on the moon Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. The James Webb telescope found carbon there, an important condition for life, writes the European Space Agency ESA.
The James Webb Telescope found the carbon dioxide in a specific region on the icy moon’s icy surface. That CO2 comes from the ocean that is beneath the kilometer-thick ice surface. So the carbon does not come from an impact meteorite.
“We think we have evidence that the carbon on Europa’s surface comes from the ocean. That’s not just something. Carbon is an essential part of life,” said Samantha Trumbo, a researcher at Cornell University.
Although the find does not directly point to a sign of life beneath the moon’s thick ice surface, it does show that it is a good place to start the search.
Research into the ice moon will increase in the coming years. For example, next year NASA will launch the Europa Clipper space probe that will fly along the ice surface.
Earlier this year, the European Space Agency sent the Juice probe to the moons of Jupiter. Juice is expected to fly past the surface twice in 2032.
2023-09-21 21:35:35
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