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New research on the collision of comets with Europa, the fourth largest satellite of Jupiter, suggests that life may have evolved within subsurface oceans on this icy satellite. The evidence for an ocean beneath the icy surface of Europa is compelling since its smooth surface strongly resembles images of sea-ice on Earth and has few craters, suggesting the recent eruption of water from below. Theory implies that the subsurface ocean on Europa may be as deep as 50 km and is generated by heating due to the tidal forces of Jupiter which deform Europa as it orbits the giant planet. Scientists think that mineral-rich hot springs emanating from Europa's warm interior into the ocean would be favourable sites for the evolution of life, however, recent models of the formation of Europa suggest that it may be deficient in the essential ingredients required for life to evolve. The new research by Elisabetta Pierazzo, from the Planetary Science Institute, and Christopher Chyba, of the SETI Institute, published in the journal Icarus, has shown that significant amounts of the chemical ingredients required for life, which include carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous, may have been added to Europa by the impact of comets over its history. The researchers argue that although Europa loses more of the components during collisions than larger planets that enough life-giving chemicals would be retained to allow the appearance of life on the satellite. Comets contain complex organic molecules, including many of the basic building blocks of DNA and proteins, and may have also played a part in the origins of life on Earth.
More info: SETI press release
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