Moon of Jupiter prime candidate for alien life after water blast found

[mosaix]

A Nasa probe that explored Jupiter’s moon Europa flew through a giant plume of water vapour that erupted from the icy surface and reached a hundred miles high, according to a fresh analysis of the spacecraft’s data.

The discovery has cemented the view among some scientists that the Jovian moon, one of four first spotted by the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610, is the most promising place in the solar system to hunt for alien life.

Moon of Jupiter prime candidate for alien life after water blast found

 

[Brian G Turner]

There's more commentary on the potential flyby here:
Did the Galileo spacecraft pass through a geyser plume over Europa? Maaaaaybe.

 

[Alexa]

The problem with these candidates is that even if they have some kind of alien life, it may take thousands of years having the same lifeforms as the Earth has right now. Maybe we all alone in the Universe after all and our future generations will find a way to colonize the other planets.

 

[night_wrtr]

Maybe we all alone in the Universe after all and our future generations will find a way to colonize the other planets.

My opinion of course, but there is no way we are alone in the universe. I don't even think we are alone in the Milk Way.

Prediction: In the somewhat near future we will locate life on another planet, moon, comet, etc, and in the distant future we will be able to trace back the evolution of life in the universe to a common origin, much like Charles Darwin did with animal species on this rock we call home.

 

[Alexa]

My opinion of course, but there is no way we are alone in the universe. I don't even think we are alone in the Milk Way.

Prediction: In the somewhat near future we will locate life on another planet, moon, comet, etc, and in the distant future we will be able to trace back the evolution of life in the universe to a common origin, much like Charles Darwin did with animal species on this rock we call home.

And let all those hostile spaceships conquering Earth come true ?

 

[LordOfWizards]

The Drake equation: N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L
Where: N = The number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

The Drake Equation is used to estimate the number of communicating civilizations in the cosmos, or more simply put, the odds of finding intelligent life in the universe.
First proposed by radio astronomer Frank Drake in 1961, the equation calculates the number of communicating civilizations by multiplying several variables. It's usually written, according to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), as:

N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L​

N = The number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

R* = The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life.
fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.
ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.
fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.
fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.
fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.
L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space

 

[Venusian Broon]

The Drake equation: N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L
Where: N = The number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

The Drake Equation is used to estimate the number of communicating civilizations in the cosmos, or more simply put, the odds of finding intelligent life in the universe.
First proposed by radio astronomer Frank Drake in 1961, the equation calculates the number of communicating civilizations by multiplying several variables. It's usually written, according to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), as:

N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L​

N = The number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

R* = The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life.
fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.
ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.
fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.
fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.
fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.
L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space

I really, as a physicist, dislike the Drake equation. For an equation that's linked to serious science, it's ambiguous and completely untestable.

You can get 'answers' that give you any number you want...from zero to every star system in the milky way, say.

But I will say, being positive, it is useful as a framework for discussing 'how do we think intelligent life develops in our universe?'

 

[Vertigo]

See the problem I have with the Drake equation is that I don't think any one of the parameters have even remotely verifiable values. It's basically just guesses. And that, to me, puts it in the realm of faith not science.

 

[Venusian Broon]

See the problem I have with the Drake equation is that I don't think any one of the parameters have even remotely verifiable values. It's basically just guesses. And that, to me, puts it in the realm of faith not science.

The problem, I feel, that muddies the waters somewhat, is that some of the factors involved are finding some traction in being 'better fleshed out' - the first three. But there is a massive gap of our understanding afterwards.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

I really, as a physicist, dislike the Drake equation. For an equation that's linked to serious science, it's ambiguous and completely untestable.

This excellent book (The Rare Earth Hypothesis) may be of interest to those contributing to this thread.

 

[Vertigo]

This excellent book (The Rare Earth Hypothesis) may be of interest to those contributing to this thread.

Nick Lane left me with the feeling that simple life is likely to be common but that complex life is likely rare and that was just based on the biochemistry without bringing the influence of plate tectonics, Jupiter, the moon, magnetosphere etc. etc. As I loved The Vital Question on your suggestion, I have just ordered a second hand copy of this one!

 

[J Riff]

1955 and counting...

 

[RJM Corbet]

Guys, you know what's coming: Liquid water on another world does not by a factor of, like, 10 to the power 200, guarantee definite life origination on that world.

With all the hugely controlled and directed knowledge and apparatus available we're still impossibly distant from being able to originate the spark of life for even the most basic microbe -- and hundreds of zeros further from the hugely complicated life contained within a single dandelion seed. So how's 'life' hoping to just pop up everywhere there's liquid water? Imo

 

[Alexa]

It may pop up if it travels with what we send into space.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

With all the hugely controlled and directed knowledge and apparatus available we're still impossibly distant from being able to originate the spark of life for even the most basic microbe -- and hundreds of zeros further from the hugely complicated life contained within a single dandelion seed. So how's 'life' hoping to just pop up everywhere there's liquid water? Imo

So what you're saying is, because human beings are "impossibly distant" from creating life, evolution and basic chemistry can't?
Wow - that's solipsist!

 

[RJM Corbet]

So what you're saying is, because human beings are "impossibly distant" from creating life, evolution and basic chemistry can't?
Wow - that's solipsist!

Well, yes. We now have complete knowledge of the ingredients, perfectly controlled conditions in which to combine them, but somehow can't get them to come to 'life'. Yet it's expected to happen purely by chance everywhere there's liquid water, even in the most inhospitable environment. I'm not talking about the progression of simple life to higher life forms, but about origination. The spark that got Frankenstein's creation to stand up off the table.

 

[Ursa major]

Yet it's expected to happen purely by chance

Are you properly factoring in the huge scale available, in terms of space (volume) and time available?

If something can take but a moment to happen, but is very unlikley to happen at any given moment and at a given (tiny) location, the availability of an unimaginably large number of moments, and an unimaginably large number of locations, can make it much more likely to happen.

 

[RJM Corbet]

Are you properly factoring in the huge scale available, in terms of space (volume) and time available?

If something can take but a moment to happen, but is very unlikley to happen at any given moment and at a given (tiny) location, the availability of an unimaginably large number of moments, and an unimaginably large number of locations, can make it much more likely to happen.

Yes, I am factoring it in: billions upon billions of trials happening simultaneously and continually. Billions of monkeys on billions of typewriters, hoping to come out with Hamlet.

Our phones each contain upward a billion transistors; if each of the information 'pits' on a DVD disc were magnified to pinhead size, the disc would be 300km in diameter filled with pinhead sized dots, etc. We can isolate a single photon of light, or 'dope' a single atom of silicon or germanium, or send a probe to Europa. We're pretty smart at doing stuff with the right equipment and knowledge, under minutely controlled conditions.

EDIT: it's not impossible, but it's very highly unlikely life will just spontaneously occur somewhere like Europa, simply because there's liquid water there?

 

[RJM Corbet]

I think the universe is probably filled with life, but in forms we cannot perceive with our particular carbon based senses and vision.

 

[Ursa major]

In terms of the scale of the solar system (both in terms of size and time), let alone the galaxy and the universe, mere billions don't really amount to much at all.