"Although the moon may appear barren, near the South Pole, tiny grains of ice are constantly being spewed into space through cracks in the icy surface. Using data collected by the Cassini spacecraft, scientists have found that these ice crystals are packed with complex organic molecules. According to a new study, some of these molecules could be part of the chain of chemical reactions that ultimately lead to life."
"The researchers say this discovery means Enceladus now 'ticks all the boxes' to be a world capable of supporting life. The moon has a constant supply of liquid water, a source of energy from hydrothermal vents, and the right set of chemical elements and complex organic molecules. This isn't necessarily proof that life already exists on Enceladus, but it makes it much more likely that Saturn's moon is habitable."
Enceladus ejects ice grains through cracks near its South Pole, and Cassini sampled these grains during ring fly-throughs. The ice crystals contain complex organic molecules that could participate in chemical pathways leading to life. The moon possesses a subsurface ocean beneath an icy shell, a persistent supply of liquid water, and energy sources from hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. The combination of water, energy, chemical elements, and complex organics satisfies key habitability criteria, increasing the likelihood that Enceladus is capable of supporting life. Even an absence of life in this environment would raise questions about life's emergence under such conditions.
Read at Mail Online
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