5. Jupiter - Possible. While Jupiter itself is a big gas bag that probably doesn’t harbor life, two of its moons just might. Europa is the most likely. It seems that Europa is covered in a giant liquid water ocean, topped by a thick crust of ice that occasionally breaks open and lets water flow, very briefly, on the surface. This ocean is kept warm by tidal heating, it is literally warmed by friction as jupiter tries to tear it apart, and could well have life on the order of microbes, but also all sorts of bizarre complex life like fish adapted for low-gravity, sea monsters, and any number of beasties. Another of Jupiter’s moons, Ganymede, may also have conditions similar to Europa. We give this a rating of possible, and strongly support any efforts to explore these poorly understood ice-and-ocean worlds.
6. Saturn - Possible. Similar to Jupiter, Saturn won’t have life. But one of its moons, Enceladus, just might. See, Enceladus has water geysers. It throws liquid water from its surface, which promptly freezes into ice particles, that go shooting off into orbit. This suggests a liquid water ocean under a surface of ice. God knows what lives in it, if anything.
7. Uranus - Not likely. At some point in its history Uranus underwent a giant cataclysm that knocked it on its side. Literally. Its moons are broken, damaged things that do not seem to be likely places for life to form. But there is still a chance, we need to learn more about its moons, and until that happens we won’t know for sure.
8. Neptune - Not a chance. This is a cold place, and its moons are even colder. Its unlikely that there is enough sunlight and heat to do much of anything here, as far as life is concerned.
9. Pluto - Who knows? We know almost nothing of Pluto, yet. We have a spacecraft on the way to explore it. Even still, we probably won’t find the conditions needed by life. Its probably a big ball of ice and rock. We know, we know, Pluto isn’t a planet anymore. But consider our inclusion of this tiny world as a protest of the reclassification.
So there you have it. Does life exist in our solar system outside the earth? Probably, but in a microbial form. Are there chances for more complex life? Yes, but less likely than microbes. Should we go look for it? Absolutely.
Terry Godier is the publisher of paranormala.com. This article was originally published on Terry's website at paranormala.com/what-are-the-chances.
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