- Scientists have revealed that Saturn's icy moon, Enceladus, could potentially support alien life following laboratory experiments simulating its seafloor conditions.
- Researchers recreated the environment thought to exist beneath the moon's icy crust and found that an ancient Earth microorganism, archaea, was able to adapt and survive there.
- Lead author Vanessa Helmbrecht stated that the unique geochemistry of Enceladus could create conditions even more favourable for microbial life than previously recognised.
- While the research does not definitively prove extraterrestrial life exists, it boosts hopes for future exploration, such as the European Space Agency's planned L4 mission in 2042.
- A separate study revealed that jets spewing water from the moon separate oceanic materials, which could make signs of life easier for future spacecraft to detect.
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