Oddbean new post about login | logout Jupiter's moon Europa has an enormous salty ocean, probably heated from below by hydrothermal vents. Now it seem that Europa has an internal source of carbon, too -- making an even more exciting argument that life could exist there. New story by me for Nautilus Magazine. https://nautil.us/a-crucial-ingredient-for-life-is-bubbling-up-on-europa-406356/?_sp=a8169950-1b69-4cac-b479-67dd5d11895e.1696434722927 #life #science #astronomy https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/111/184/361/310/094/122/original/45644fe8ed1a09ce.jpeg
One interesting detail I couldn't fit into the story: NASA's Galileo probe visited Europa up close, but wasn't able to see the carbon dioxide deposits on the surface. Every time Galileo got close to Europa, Jupiter's intense radiation blinded its sensors. Scientists had to step back 500 million miles to get a clear view! #space #exploration https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/111/184/459/983/315/505/original/9bd182c872b586c5.mp4
