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smacintush · Mar 9, 2006, 04:56 PM

NASA has finally found liquid water in outside of Earth. There are geysers on Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons. Who knows what we'll find there in the following years!

Linky

Dakar · Mar 9, 2006, 05:02 PM

Cool.

osiris · Mar 9, 2006, 05:09 PM

Amazing stuff.

It would be great to send a probe into Enceladus, maybe they'll be some kind of life swimming around.

olePigeon · Mar 9, 2006, 05:15 PM

I didn't see yours and I posted another thread. Oops.

I hope they find some critters. I can't wait for the drilling probe to hit Europa.

turtle777 · Mar 9, 2006, 05:20 PM

New thread ?

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=288486

-t

historylme · Mar 9, 2006, 05:21 PM

Not in Uranus?

sorry, I couldn't resit.

Judge_Fire · Mar 9, 2006, 05:33 PM

Had to see if url was available. Dammit

http://encelad.us/

J

::maroma:: · Mar 9, 2006, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

I hope they find some critters.

BRussell · Mar 9, 2006, 05:49 PM

So the idea is that, if water is present, there's a greater chance that life will be present? Why is that? It seems to me that life could happen anywhere, water or not, couldn't it?

Weyland-Yutani · Mar 9, 2006, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by BRussell

So the idea is that, if water is present, there's a greater chance that life will be present? Why is that? It seems to me that life could happen anywhere, water or not, couldn't it?

Water is a universal solvent and a perfect environment for biological chemicall reactions. Because of its unique molecular structure it can be both acidic, alkiline, solvent of polarized and non-polarized chemicals.

To interact with each other chemicals have to be in a solution. Water can encompass more compounds in a solution than any other solvent and it is a relatively good electrical conductor.

It is a solution for everything

cheers

W-Y

Uncle Skeleton · Mar 9, 2006, 06:02 PM

Also it is easier to identify life the more similar it is to life we already know about. Since all life we know about is based on H2O, any alien life that's H2O-based will be significantly easier for us to understand and identify, so we look there first.

ort888 · Mar 9, 2006, 06:35 PM

They should bottle it and sell it.

Enceladus has a nice ring to it. I could see it selling well.

greenamp · Mar 9, 2006, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by ort888

They should bottle it and sell it.

Enceladus has a nice ring to it. I could see it selling well.

olePigeon · Mar 9, 2006, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by ort888

They should bottle it and sell it.

Enceladus has a nice ring to it. I could see it selling well.

At least until peoples' tits and dicks fall off from the radiation garnered from Saturn.

pooka · Mar 9, 2006, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

At least until peoples' tits and dicks fall off from the radiation garnered from Saturn.

What if peoples' dicks fell off and they grew tits?

Think about it.

I Bent My Wookiee · Mar 9, 2006, 09:45 PM

So I am guessing liquid water has never been located anywhere else? How common is frozen water then?

osiris · Mar 9, 2006, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by I Bent My Wookiee

So I am guessing liquid water has never been located anywhere else? How common is frozen water then?

There's frozen water on Mars, and some think that liquid water is below the surface.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronom...er_000620.html

Pendergast · 11:14 AM

This is great news.

It means that there would be relatively easy ways to refuel an eventual nuke propulsion system without too much expenditure of energy; savings on the heat necessary to melt the ice to fuel up, and weak gravity well to land the refueler, then take off.

Although I share the enthusiasm of this news and what it could mean for the exploration of Europa, it seems to me that Enceladus is the next candidate for exploration, at least, will be prioritzed over Europa.

The big challenge would probably be about the gravity well of Saturn versus Jupiter's.

Celestial mechanics, please rise!

starman · Mar 10, 2006, 10:58 AM

How cool would it be to wake up to Saturn every morning?

Corpse of Chewbacca · Mar 10, 2006, 01:41 PM

turtle777 · Mar 10, 2006, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by starman

How cool would it be to wake up to Saturn every morning?

Huh ?

As comparing to waking up to the sun ?
I guess, pretty dark, then...

-t

wdlove · Mar 10, 2006, 03:43 PM

I think that it's an aweome discovery. So much yet to learn.

smacintush · Mar 10, 2006, 03:45 PM

HOLY CRAP IT'S THE DEATHSTAR!!!

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gal...ry-saturn.html

olePigeon · Mar 11, 2006, 07:12 PM

Further studies indicate that liquid water (possibly oceans of it) are located only 30 meters beneath the surface!

Tough choice, now. Europa or Enceladus for drilling. Enceladus appears to be an easier drill than Eruopa.

osiris · Mar 11, 2006, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by smacintush

HOLY CRAP IT'S THE DEATHSTAR!!!

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gal...ry-saturn.html

Holy Mimas, it's real!
So much for the long time ago in a galaxy far, far away thing.

Pendergast · Mar 11, 2006, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Further studies indicate that liquid water (possibly oceans of it) are located only 30 meters beneath the surface!

Tough choice, now. Europa or Enceladus for drilling. Enceladus appears to be an easier drill than Eruopa.

But, taking into account it is guzzling naturally (up to a 100 kg a day), all you need to do is open the hole and collect, right?

Europa's promises is just too stretched and a challenge. Look at the trouble they had to bore their way to Lake Vostok.