Chapter 13: Problem 20

What aspects of Europa lead scientists to speculate that life may exist there? What precautions have been taken to prevent contaminating Europa with Earth organisms?

Short Answer

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Scientists speculate life on Europa due to its subsurface ocean of liquid water, availability of chemical elements necessary for life, and an energy source that might sustain a potentially hospitable climate for microbial life. To prevent contamination, spacecraft are cleaned and sterilized before missions, and missions are planned to avoid crash-landing on Europa's surface.

Step by step solution

Understanding Europa's Potential for Life

Europa, one of Jupiter's largest moons, is regarded as the most likely place in our solar system outside Earth to have life. This premise is based on a few fundamental traits of Europa: the existence of a subsurface ocean of liquid water, the presence of necessary chemical elements for life, and an energy source to sustain a possibly hospitable climate for microbial life.

Understanding Precautions for Preventing Contamination of Europa

Space agencies, like NASA, take strong precautions to prevent contaminating celestial bodies, a principle known as planetary protection. The spacecraft built for exploration on such moons or planets are designed to minimize the chance of contamination. They are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before the mission. Additionally, missions to Europa are planned so that they do not crash-land on the moon's surface, reducing the risk of Earth microbes being transported to Europa.

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What aspects of Europa lead scientists to speculate that life may exist there? What precautions have been taken to prevent contaminating Europa with Earth organisms?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understanding Europa's Potential for Life

Understanding Precautions for Preventing Contamination of Europa

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