Saturn's Titan has Implications for Understanding of Life Throughout the Galaxy

NASA's Cassini spacecraft buzzed Titan last month, coming close enough to taste the Saturnian moon's atmosphere.  The data acquired has implications for our understanding of life throughout the galaxy, as well as Earth's own past.

The second largest moon in the solar system, Titan has long been of interest for hopeful exobioligists.  As the only other body we know of with surface bodies of liquid, complete with nitrogen, methane and complete seasonal weather weather patterns (similar to Earth's).  It even has beaches, though you'll need a little more than a swimsuit to visit.  Vast bodies of chemicals constantly stirred by wind and wave, heated over a gentle sunlight heat with the occasional dash of articles from Saturn's magnetosphere for spice - a perfect recipe for life. Just like a certain planet you might be familiar with (look down if you forget).

Of course there a few minor differences from our own blue-green globe. There's no oxygen for one thing, but if you think that's a problem then you're guilty of "aerobic respiration prejudice" (don't worry, most multicellular organisms are).  It's also really quite amazingly cold - so cold that it has awesomely-named "cryovolcanoes", where boiled (or even just melted) water is enough to set off seismic-level explosions. Again, that's a barrier that's been overcome by homegrown Earth bacteria, so there's no reason it couldn't be managed elsewhere.

Cassini's onboard instruments have detected hydrocarbons containing up to seven carbon atoms.  How important is that for life?  Here's a hint: molecules with carbon in them are called organic, and those without are inorganic.  Carbon is kind of a big deal, and the more (and more complicated) carbon compounds present the further towards the great cosmic chemical cocktail that is "life" you are.  Some scientists believe that the Titanian interior, with its greater temperature, could already host microbial life - but it'll be a while before we can check that (unless we get real lucky, and some alien cells get real unlucky, with a cryovolcano eruption).  One thing's for sure - the craft is only on the sixth of forty-five planned flybys so we can expect to hear a lot more about this real soon.

PS Yes, it is ironic that we're expecting Titanic lifeforms to be single celled.

Posted by Luke McKinney. Photo Credit: James Estrin/New York Times.

Related Galaxy posts:

"The Earth Strain" -Spreading Life To The Stars (whether we want to or not)
MIT Asks: How Would Extraterrestrial Astronomers Study Earth?
"The Great Silence" -A Galaxy Insight
Harvard-Smithsonian Scientists Zero In On Key Sign of Habitable Worlds
Cruising the Goldilocks Zone -The Search for Super Earths
Dead Zones in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
  Non-Carbon Lifeforms -Why We May Overlook  

Source links:

Cassini flyby http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=16737
The Cassini Mission Home http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/main/index.html

Comments

[John Thomas]

You know there just has to be something out there somewhere. We just havent found it yet.

JJ
www.Ultimate-Anonymity.com

[Kyle]

I can only imagine what religious officials will say when we find life outside of our planet. If only Galileo could see the breakthroughs we're making now.

[tim]

I am still holding out hope for Europa! There has got to be life under that ice shell.

[johnald]

the amount of chance events that have had to occur for us to exist is stupendous, and so i wouldn't hold your breath for evidence of life nearby that's managed to survive. just look at it probability-wise.

[mike]

really quite amazingly cold

unless we get real lucky, and some alien cells get real unlucky
unless we get really lucky, and some alien cells get really unlucky

hear a lot more about this real soon
hear a lot more about this really soon

[mooey]

Ah, yes, the infamous spelling-critic bots that we use confusing codes to keep away has appeared. Its a wonder these things make it through the captcha check sometimes, as they have a tendancy to want to correct the spelling of said codes..

[Captain_Sakonna]

"if you think that's a problem then you're guilty of "aerobic respiration prejudice" (don't worry, most multicellular organisms are)."

Hmm, I'm detecting a little prejudice here myself. Don't you mean "most terrestrial multicellular organisms"? For all we know, most of the multicellular organisms in the universe breathe something else. :) :)

[Kyle P.]

"Hmm, I'm detecting a little prejudice here myself. Don't you mean "most terrestrial multicellular organisms"? For all we know, most of the multicellular organisms in the universe breathe something else. :) :)"

They too would have aerobic respiration prejudice, if they came across a planet with an atmosphere unsupporting to their desired breathing-chemicals.