Jupiter’s moon Europa has consistently captivated astronomers and planetary scientists who are looking for signs of life outside Earth. Scientists at Goddard Space Flight Center believe they may have found a microscopic building block similar to what is found on Earth.
In an article published in Nature Astronomy, researchers from the Goddard Space Flight Center describe their findings of a particular molecule in Europa’s atmosphere. The molecule, known as diacetylene, is a building block of complex organic molecules necessary for life on Earth.
Diacetylene is used by organisms on Earth to catalyze metabolic reactions, construct visual pigment molecules, and help create other molecules which can then be used for life processes. This discovery is significant because diacetylene has only been observed on Earth previously, and the finding suggests that Europa and Earth may have some shared organic components, increasing chances for life on Jupiter’s icy moon.
Dr. Webb, lead researcher on the study, explains that “Our findings demonstrate the potential for diacetylene to be synthesized within Europa’s icy shell and transported to the surface through resurfacing processes.” The presence of this organic molecule raises the possibility that Europa harbors an environment capable of sustaining life.
The authors of the study are excited not only by the implications of their findings but by the possible implications of such discoveries in the future. As Dr. Webb says, “We’re encouraged that scientists have shown this could potentially be investigated in future space exploration missions.”
This discovery on Europa is exciting for scientists who are searching for signs of life outside of Earth. The presence of this particular molecule could be evidence that organic compounds could exist in the icy ocean beneath Europa’s surface. Additional research will be needed to confirm this hypothesis and to determine if this could be a sign of extraterrestrial life. But until then, diacetylene is a significant building block in the search for life on Europa.