Abstract
In science fiction films, the search for aliens usually involves traveling across galaxies to planets hundreds or thousands of light years away, but many scientists believe there is a chance we might discover alien life much closer to home - on the outer fringes of the Solar System. Now you might think that's a long shot. After all, the conditions on the outer planets and their moons are hostile in the extreme. Take Titan, for example. Its atmosphere is composed of methane and ethane clouds and its climate is a frigid -179°C. However, despite these seemingly inhospitable conditions, Titan is often touted as a likely candidate for harboring life. It may not be recognizable as Earth-like life, but recent advances in biology and biochemistry suggest that the basic requirements for life might not be as concrete as we thought.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Reference
[I] Kivelson, M.G.; Khurana, K.K.; Russell, C.T.; Volwerk, M.; Walker, R.J.; Zinuner, C. Galileo Magnetometer Measurements: A Stronger Case for a Subsurface Ocean at Europa. Science, 289, 1340-1343 (2000).
Chyba, C.F.; Philips, C.B. Europa as an Abode of Life. Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere, 32, 47-67 (2002).
Jakosky, B.M.; Shock, E.L. The Biological Potential of Mars, the Early Earth, and Europa. Journal of Geophysical Research, 103(19), 359-364 (1998).
Matson, D.L.; Castillo, J.C.; Lunine, J.; Johnson, T.V. Enceladus' Plume: Compositional Evidence for a Hot Interior. Icarus, 187, 569-573 (2007).
Thompson, W.R.; Sagan, C. Organic Chemistry on Titan: Surface Interactions. In: ESA SP-338: Symposium on Titan, pp. 167-176 (1992).
Artermieva, N.; Lunine, J. Cratering on Titan: Impact Melt, Ejecta, and the Fate of Surface Organics. Icarus, 164, 471-480 (2003).
Khurana, K.K.; Kivelson, M.G.; Stevenson, D.J.; Schubert, G.; Russell, C.T.; Walker, R.J.; Polanskey, C. Induced Magnetic Fields as Evidence for Subsurface Oceans in Europa and Callisto. Nature, 395(6704), 777-780 (1998).
Ruiz, J. Stability against Freezing of an Internal Liquid-Water Ocean in Callisto. Nature, 412, 409-411 (2001).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Seedhouse, E. (2011). Potential Destinations. In: Interplanetary Outpost. Springer Praxis Books(). Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9748-7_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9748-7_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-9747-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-9748-7
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)