Cassini Flies by Enceladus, Samples Organic Matter, Verdict: Tastes Just Like Chicken
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Cassini, as you know, is a probe NASA sent to explore Saturn and its moons. Back in 2005, it made a discovery – one of Saturn’s moons, Enceladus, had “hot spots” emanating from its surface. A closer look revealed the presence of active geysers spewing liquid from its southern pole.
Certainly worth another look, NASA sent the probe back and had it fly directly into the path of these geysers, coming to within 30 miles of the surface of the moon.
Amongst other things, Cassini discovered water and other organic compounds. Exactly what compounds, well, it’s too early to tell. Could this mean life on the Saturn moon? Perhaps. Assuming the conditions are just right, Enceladus may be a candidate for harboring primordial life forms akin to what’s found near our ocean-floor hydrothermal vents.
Source: NASA
Neato! Will I have to wait until the end of July for the next TinySci update?
FIRST!