JAKARTA – The latest study from the Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shows that Enceladus, Saturn’s moon, has an important molecule for the embryo of life, namely hydrogen cyanide.
This chemical compound was discovered by a researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Jonah Peter. The Harvard University student examined data from the Cassini mission and the results showed that Enceladus is home to several important molecules.
“Our research provides further evidence that Enceladus is home to some of the most important molecules that create the building blocks of life and sustain life through metabolic reactions,” said Peter.
Although hydrogen cyanide is a toxic organic compound, this molecule is essential in the formation of amino acids.
Referring to the theory of the formation of life, amino acids are one of the constituents of a life.
In addition to hydrogen cyanide, Peter also found evidence that Enceladus has an ocean beneath the ice and supplies plume or eruption clouds. From these two findings, the evidence for habitability on Enceladus is getting stronger.
Peter explains that the ocean and plume is an energy source that has not been identified to date.
However, some organic compounds that are part of both function as fuel for organisms.
From the discovery of these molecules and the energy source of life, Peter came to the conclusion that Enceladus might indeed be suitable for habitation.
Peter also suspects that Enceladus has more energy than previously thought.
“Enceladus appears to meet more than just the basic requirements for habitability. “We now have an idea of how complex biomolecules might form there and what chemical pathways might be involved,” said Peter.
2023-12-16 10:05:00
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