Big discovery alert! Why scientists are hopeful there’s life on Saturn’s moon?

Six essential elements are needed by all life on Earth - carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulphur. Saturn’s tiny moon Enceladus has a full set. Scientists have made “first finding of phosphorus on an extraterrestrial ocean world” in the Saturn moon.

Phosphates, a key building block of life, were discovered in particles ejected from Enceladus’ ice-covered global ocean from data sent back by NASA's Cassini space mission. The moon has an ice surface and an ice shell covering the ocean inside.

Why discovery of phosphorus makes scientists hopeful of finding life on Enceladus

Photo: Saturn moon Enceladus

Five of the six essential elements were detected in Enceladus samples years ago. Phosphorus is the rarest of these elements and had never been found. Phosphorous, in the form of phosphates, forms the backbone of DNA and is part of cell membranes and bones. It allows cells to store energy and is present in all life on Earth. In fact, life wouldn’t be possible without it.

The discovery means that the Saturn moon has the complete list of ingredients needed for microbial life to sustain itself (in the absence of sunlight). Furthermore, the moon’s earlier analysis had revealed all factors that favour habitable conditions.

Why Enceladus is most likely candidate for life now?

As per the finding, Enceladus' ocean has phosphate levels at least 100 times higher than Earth's oceans. This indicates it satisfies what is generally considered “one of the strictest requirements in establishing whether celestial bodies are habitable.”  As per the scientists, the “key ingredient could be abundant enough to potentially support life in Enceladus’ ocean."

The findings indicate that Enceladus has chemical reactions between water and warm rock on the ocean floor similar to those on Earth. This setting is considered most likely to have helped life on Earth begin. Thus scientists are hoping that if it happened on Earth, it may have happened inside Enceladus too. 

(Inputs from PTI, IANS)