XPost: alt.science, alt.astronomy, soc.culture
https://scitechdaily.com/saturns-surprise-nasa-discovers-life-sparking-energy-source-and-molecule-at-enceladus/
Scientists have known that the giant plume of ice grains and
water vapor spewing from Saturn’s moon Enceladus is rich with
organic compounds, some of which are important for life as we
know it. Now, scientists analyzing data from NASA’s Cassini
mission are taking the evidence for habitability a step
further: They’ve found strong confirmation of hydrogen
cyanide, a molecule that is key to the origin of life.
The researchers also uncovered evidence that the ocean,
which is hiding below the moon’s icy outer shell and supplies
the plume, holds a powerful source of chemical energy.
Unidentified until now, the energy source is in the form
of several organic compounds, some of which, on Earth,
serve as fuel for organisms.
The findings, published on December 14, in Nature
Astronomy, indicate there may be much more chemical
energy inside this tiny moon than previously thought.
The more energy available, the more likely that
life might proliferate and be sustained.
. . .
Cyanide-sucking lifeforms on Enceladus ???
Once, science was convinced there were canal
systems on Mars - ergo high civilization
because canals were human high-tech. Some guy
wrote a novel about the surely-incipent
attack ... because that's what humans do ,,,
Modern sci still seems incapable of discerning
between a life-nurturing macro-environment and
a cosmic toxic-waste dump.
But little green men SELL ......
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