Evidence of water on Jupiter moon

Europa's icy crust may conceal an ocean

By BBC science reporter Ania Lichtarowicz

The possibility of finding extraterrestrial life in our Solar System has come one step closer, according to researchers in the United States.

Writing in the journal Science, University of California astronomers say they have found new evidence that one of Jupiter's moons, Europa, may have a liquid ocean deep beneath its surface.

Pictures of Europa show chunks of cracked and broken ice. These features were produced, the scientists believe, as the moon's rigid surface moved and buckled on top of a liquid ocean.

The researchers have analysed new data from Nasa's Galileo spacecraft, which passed close to Europa at the beginning of the year.

By studying the magnetic patterns of the moon and of Jupiter, the scientists have concluded that there could be a large body of water about 7.5 km below the satellite's surface.

The scientists cannot tell if this ocean is salty or not. Neither can they be completely certain that it is actually there.

Research shows that wherever there is water on Earth, there is life in the form of bacteria.

It is not known whether this is true on Europa, but the new data suggest the Jovian moon would be a very good place to look for extraterrestrials - even if they are only microbes.