A recent study conducted by NYU Abu Dhabi has unveiled a fascinating discovery: high-energy particles from space, known as cosmic rays, may provide the essential energy required to sustain life beneath the surfaces of planets and moons within our solar system. This groundbreaking research challenges the conventional belief that life can only thrive in environments basked in sunlight or volcanic warmth.
Published in the International Journal of Astrobiology, the research was spearheaded by Dimitra Atri, the Principal Investigator at the Space Exploration Laboratory of NYUAD's Center for Astrophysics and Space Science (CASS). The team meticulously investigated the effects of cosmic rays colliding with water or ice located underground. These interactions lead to the fragmentation of water molecules, resulting in the release of tiny particles known as electrons.
Interestingly, certain bacteria on Earth are capable of utilizing these electrons as a source of energy, akin to how plants harness sunlight for photosynthesis. This specific process, referred to as radiolysis, enables life to persist in dark, frigid environments devoid of sunlight. The researchers employed sophisticated computer simulations to evaluate the energy produced through radiolysis on Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
The findings revealed that Saturn's icy moon Enceladus exhibits the greatest potential for supporting life through this mechanism, followed closely by Mars, and then Europa, another of Jupiter’s moons. Atri emphasized the significance of this discovery, stating, “Instead of solely searching for warm, sunlit planets, we can now explore cold, dark environments, provided they contain water beneath their surfaces and are subject to cosmic rays.” This revelation suggests that life could potentially exist in a broader range of locations than previously imagined.
This study introduces an innovative concept known as the Radiolytic Habitable Zone. Unlike the traditional Goldilocks Zone, which describes the area surrounding a star where a planet could host liquid water on its surface, the Radiolytic Habitable Zone focuses on regions where water is present underground and can be energized by cosmic radiation. Given that cosmic rays pervade the universe, this paradigm shift implies that there may be numerous additional locations throughout the cosmos capable of harboring life.
The implications of these findings are profound for future space missions. Instead of exclusively searching for signs of life on planetary surfaces, scientists are encouraged to investigate underground environments on Mars and the icy moons, employing advanced tools designed to detect the chemical energy generated by cosmic radiation. This research paves the way for exciting new avenues in the quest for extraterrestrial life, suggesting that even the most desolate, cold regions of the solar system could offer viable conditions for life to endure.
