Saturn’s largest moon Titan has long been of interest to scientists and astronomers hoping to find signs of life there. However, the latest research from astrobiologist Catherine Neish points to the absence of life on Titan.
Neish and her team’s research shows that Titan’s subsurface ocean is likely uninhabitable. The discovery has major consequences for the search for extraterrestrial life in the outer solar system, where the giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are located.
Earth sciences professor Catherine Neish notes that the scientific community had high hopes of finding life on the icy worlds of the outer solar system. However, new evidence suggests this is much less likely.
One of the most important factors affecting the possibility of life is the availability of water. Life requires the presence of water as a solvent. Therefore, planets and moons with large amounts of water are of particular interest to scientists.
Titan’s subsurface ocean is believed to contain a large amount of liquid water, more than twelve times the volume of Earth’s oceans. That is why Titan attracted the attention of planetary scientists and astronomers.
However, Neish and her team’s research shows that the amount of organic molecules that can be transported to Titan’s subsurface ocean is very small. Using data from impact craters and the estimated frequency of impacts on Titan’s surface, scientists have determined that the mass of organic material transported in this way is insufficient to sustain life.
One reason for this is the difficulty of transferring carbon from Titan’s surface to the subsurface ocean. Carbon is an essential element for life, and its presence together with water in one place is key to habitability.
However, icy worlds such as Titan, Europa and Ganymede contain virtually no carbon on their surfaces, and the amount of carbon in their depths remains unknown.
“We assumed that the majority of the melt deposits – 65% – would sink all the way to the ocean,” Neish said. Space.com. “Recent modeling suggests this is most likely an overestimate, but even in this most optimistic scenario, not enough organic matter enters Titan’s ocean to support life there.”
For planetary scientists, astronomers and space agencies such as NASA, the discovery was a major disappointment. However, scientists hope that further research can shed light on other factors in the habitability of the outer solar system.
