Jupiter's icy moon Europa may host life in an ocean of liquid water hidden under its 10 kilometre-deep ice crust, scientists say. This is the first time ecosystem has been found to survive directly on the basis of nuclear energy, Galante said. This makes the icy moon suffer geometrical deformation as it moves at the mercy of Jupiter's immense tidal force. "The ocean bed on Europa appears to offer very similar conditions to those that existed on primitive Earth during its first billion years. So studying Europa today is to some extent like looking back at our own planet in the past," Galante said.

Source: dna February 25, 2018 05:37 UTC