Is Methane on Enceladus a Product of Life? — The Cosmic Companion July 9, 2021
In 2015, the Cassini spacecraft passed through a plume of water from the alien ocean of Enceladus. A new study looks at what may have caused its bizarre chemistry...
An unknown process produces large amounts of methane on Enceladus — could it be a product of life?
Massive plumes of water erupting from Saturn’s moon Enceladus have fascinated researchers since they were first spotted by intrepid robotic explorers. These features ignite debate over the nature of the massive ocean lying beneath the frozen surface of this mighty moon.
The Cassini spacecraft, sweeping through the watery plumes, found methane, carbon dioxide, and dihydrogen — chemicals normally associated with hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor of Earth.
Now, new models suggest life may be the underlying cause of the chemical soup seen by Cassini in October 2015.
Read more: https://thecosmiccompanion.net/is-methane-on-enceladus-a-product-of-life
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