ET out there? Alien-friendly conditions detected on Saturn's Moon Enceladus

Scientists discover essential elements for life on sSaturn's moon Enceladus. They have found high concentrations of phosphorus, which is crucial for all living processes on Earth.

Caption: Saturn's moon Enceladus: A testament to cosmic forces shaping a tiny world. (NASA)

Scientists studying data from the Cassini spacecraft, a probe sent by the US space agency NASA, have made an important discovery on one of Saturn's icy moons. They have found high concentrations of phosphorus, which is crucial for all living processes on Earth.

This phosphorus was detected in ice crystals below the surface of Enceladus, Saturn's moon that has an ocean beneath its icy exterior.

Finding phosphorus is a significant breakthrough for the possibility of alien life on this moon. Researchers had already found six other chemical elements necessary for all living things: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulphur. The missing piece was phosphorus, and now they have found it.

The Cassini spacecraft was the first to orbit Saturn and collected data during its mission from 2004 to 2017. A team of international scientists led by Germany analysed the data, which spanned over a decade, and published their findings in the journal Nature. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA, which built the Cassini probe, also made an announcement about the discovery.

Professor Frank Postberg from the Free University of Berlin, who led the research team analysing the data, explained that it took a long time to make this discovery. The data had been available on NASA's servers for 15 years, but due to its vast quantities, it was challenging to analyse while the mission was ongoing.

After receiving funding from the European Research Council, the team conducted a more extensive analysis of the data. They found nine ice grains with a significant signature of phosphorus after three years of research.

Mikhail Zolotov, a professor of planetary geochemistry at Arizona State University, emphasised the importance of this discovery. Phosphorus compounds are crucial for biological productivity on Earth, and their presence increases the potential for life on other ice-covered planets in the outer Solar System.

However, gathering evidence from other moons with oceans will take almost a decade. The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), a mission by the European Space Agency, will explore Jupiter's icy moons Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede over the course of eight years. Additionally, NASA plans to launch the Europa Clipper in October next year, with an expected arrival at Jupiter's moon system in 2030.