Discovering Incredible Life: Webb Uncovers a Building Block on Europa!

NASA recently announced an exciting new discovery which has been identified as a ‘building block of life’ on Jupiter’s moon of Europa. Webb, a field researcher part of the Cassini mission, spotted an organic compound—which scientists believe is the basis for all life on Earth—on its surface. According to NASA, the molecules discovered are a form of cyclopentane, an organic material which is made up of carbon, hydrogen and, occasionally, oxygen atoms. The discovery doesn’t necessarily mean that life exists on Europa, but these compounds are thought to be essential to life’s origin. According to Webb, the discovery is significant “because it means that an environment which could potentially support life could be found on Europa.” Webb made the discovery of this organic compound from Europa’s spectrum data from when the Cassini spacecraft flew by the planet. Webb observed the presence of cyclopentane via thermal imaging, which is an important sign that this type of organic material may be present—a sign that’s been missing for many years. NASA’s Principal Investigator of the Cassini mission, Dr. Kevin Hand, said that the discovery was incredibly exciting. “This is something that we have been searching for for a very long time. The discovery of these organic compounds is a major step forward in our understanding of Europa, and could help to fuel further discoveries in the future.” Despite the exciting news, NASA has yet to make an official announcement of the discovery. Scientists are still trying to understand the nature and origin of these organic molecules, and NASA will likely be cautious about making any further announcements until they have a better grasp of the data. In the meantime, Webb’s discovery of the organic compound has been added to other potential building blocks of life on Europa, including the presence of an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy crust. As Cassini continues to reveal its mysteries, we can expect similar, if not more profound, discoveries about life in our own Solar System.