Scientists at the US space agency NASA, have speculated that Saturn‘s moon Titan was a likely candidate to support life, after analyzing the latest data sent back from their space probe Cassini.
Titan is the largest of Saturn’s moon and the only one to contain a dense atmosphere, as well as stable bodies of surface liquid. The satellite’s atmosphere is almost entirely composed of nitrogen with a small percentage of methane and hydrogen present.
Scientists have now discovered that traces of hydrogen gas flowing through the moon’s atmosphere actually disappear on the surface of Titan, indicating that it was possibly being breathed by methane-based life-forms. Also, a lack of acetylene molecules was taken to indicate that the alien life-forms could be consuming the organic molecules whilst creating methane in the process.
Commenting on the find, astrobiologist at Nasa Ames Research Centre California, Chris McKay said: “We suggested hydrogen consumption because it’s the obvious gas for life to consume on Titan, similar to the way we consume oxygen on Earth.
“If these signs do turn out to be a sign of life, it would be doubly exciting because it would represent a second form of life independent from water-based life on Earth.”
Before taking the findings as indisputable proof of extra-terrestrial life, Nasa was keen to point out that the result could also be caused by non-biological chemical reactions and further studies would be required to confirm the startling observations.