Titan sensation: Saturn's moon has watery ocean under thick ice crust

Titan sensation: Saturn's moon has watery ocean under thick ice crust

www.rt.com

Titan, one of the most interesting objects in our Solar system, may have an ocean of water beneath its thick ice crust layer. Scientists say large deposits of water drastically increase the possibility of life on the moon.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Saturn’s largest moon Titan is one of the few objects in our system that can boast a true atmosphere. The moon also has developed a climate, with oceans and lakes of methane and ethane on its surface.

So it would seem another step forward in the search for extra-terrestrial life, publicly at least, if we haven't already found that is. Can't but help that it's only matter of time before it's confirmed - live E.T.s.

www.rt.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Titan is so fascinating. I'll betcha we find some kind of strange life forms there.
I hope so at least.

Originally posted by dxdydz
Titan is so fascinating. I'll betcha we find some kind of strange life forms there.
I hope so at least.

Only a matter of time, if not there, then somewhere.

reply to post by Zcustosmorum


I agree with you. We have the proof here on earth and many environments thought hostile to life on this planet are full of it. I have no doubt life is everywhere.

don't forget salo and kazak !

if we werent so worried about waging war with each other we could probably already be there (and the moon, mars, etc.) but you know we need to worry about fighting brown people instead.

lo I remember way back when I did my science fair project on titan, that hyugens probe hadn't made it yet and it was still years off. in retrospect it all seems so surreal.

reply to post by Lannister


Fighting brown people?
Not coming down hard on you but what does that mean?
You need to expand on that.

Originally posted by dxdydz
reply to post by Lannister

 

Fighting brown people?
Not coming down hard on you but what does that mean?
You need to expand on that.

I mean these western nations are all at war with the middle east. For what? Israel. So we sit here and fight our race/holy wars in the name of fairy tale books and a false threat while the universe sits up there just waiting for us. We could have bases on the moon, mars and exploring moons like this. But instead the USA doesn't even have a space program. It's more important to kill each other than to ensure the survival of our species.

I can see where your coming from. It's just not the west though. Even the middle east can't agree and find common ground. I agree if there was peace we could accomplish so much more as a species and it would be wonderful.

reply to post by Zcustosmorum


I'd say within our lifetime we'll likely discover microbial life on other planets ( -- see Mars), proving to be the first "extraterrestrial" life we find. Titan is another likely place, one in which scientists have recently concluded vast quantities of water beneath its icy surface. Imagine if there was complex life there as well!!! Even if it weren't intelligent, that would be mind blowing and would most certainly prove the existence of another intelligent life form in the universe. Here's a TED talk (technology-entertainment-design) about just this possibility (I'd recommend the TED site to anyone with an interest in deep scientific or philosophical advancements, by the way):

www.ted.com...

Bill Stone is a deep cave explorer that is determined to be among a team that will enter deep space for exploration. The video is almost 20 minutes long, but it's highly worth the watch. He talks about a submersible that his team has designed for Europa and his desire to explore deep space, fully knowing it's likely he wouldn't return.

reply to post by jcolsto


I hope we do. It is logical there is life out there since it's here.

Statistically speaking, the chance of life existing elsewhere is about as close to a certainty as you can get. That's not an opinion.

Where it is, however, is to be determined. I would love to see them find some amazing aquatic life forms on Titan, even if they aren't intelligent ones. It's doubtful we will encounter any intelligent life forms outside our planet any time soon.

reply to post by Zcustosmorum


Although this isn't a new idea, and this article doesn't seem to add anything new to the idea, it's always nice to see people taking interest.

I've always believed we are not the only place in the universe home to life, in fact I strongly believe when we really put our time and money into finding it, we will discover that life is abundant through out the universe, but alarmingly enough to some, our entire solar system. There is so little we know about life on our own planet, how can anyone say there isn't ANY life else where. Our very moon could be host to organisms, we are simply just unfamiliar with them, and haven't known where to look. I would think with such diverse conditions and materials, life may look, act and survive in very different ways than here on Earth.

I have had many a wonderful evening just pondering the diversity of the universe. There are planets made up of all sorts of things, many of which we may never know, and understand even less. Excellent article, thank you for the reminder of the wonderful worlds so close by.

Hold on wasn't Titan the planet in 2001 a Space Odyssey in which we were told "The whole solar system is yours except Titan?"

You mention that Titan has ocean under its ice. If you showed a picture it looks like an habitable planet.



Maybe the powers that be know its habitable and many elite people live there and have been traveling to it for decades. Maybe there is even civilizations there. Earth 2.0

reply to post by boymonkey74


No that was Jupiters moon Europa mankind was barred from.

This discovery is no great shock, but an awesome confirmation of what many have suspected for a long time. Although it is true that the presence of water on Titan is not proof of life there, it does lend weight to the argument for closer and more detailed study of this incredible and fascinating moon.

Understanding the chemistry of the realms of Titan, could be part of the key to unlocking long distance manned space flight, if the building blocks of the requisite fuels could be extracted from its surface, or sub surface deposits. Very interesting, and hopefully someone at the top of space exploration will soon see its value.

Originally posted by Shadow Herder
You mention that Titan has ocean under its ice. If you showed a picture it looks like an habitable planet.

Maybe the powers that be know its habitable and many elite people live there and have been traveling to it for decades. Maybe there is even civilizations there. Earth 2.0

edit on 30-6-2012 by Shadow Herder because: (no reason given)

You do know that the probability is that it's liquid methane don't you? You can't actually drink the stuff without, well, dying. You also know that the temperature is in the region of −179 °C, or −290 °F? I hope your powers that be take a flask of tea and a thick pair of socks with them.