Pluto, a frigid little world inhabiting the solar system's outer reaches, may have been born as a warmer place sheltering a subsurface ocean that still exists today, researchers said on Monday. "If Pluto formed slowly, the surface would cool between each impact and generally stay very cold. If Pluto formed quickly, you have impact on top of impact and the surface doesn't have time to cool. We calculate that if Pluto formed in less than 30,000 years, the heat from these impacts could have been sufficient to lead to an early ocean." Pluto's surface temperature is about -230 C.Because water is considered a vital ingredient for life, a subsurface ocean could make Pluto a long-shot candidate for harbouring living organisms.

Source: CBC News June 23, 2020 11:37 UTC