Japanese deep-sea microbes survive simulated conditions of Saturn moon Enceladus
Researchers in Munich found that organisms from Japan's seafloor can survive the harsh brine expected beneath Saturn's moon Enceladus.
Microbes thrive near hydrothermal vents
Scientists tested organisms that live near hydrothermal vents on the seafloor off Japan. These microbes convert hydrogen and carbon dioxide into methane while living in deep water. The same organisms survived when placed in a brine mimicking Enceladus's ocean.
Saturn moon shows signs of habitability
The experiments suggest the distant world may be habitable to at least some forms of life. William Orsi from Ludwig-Maximilian University stated that similar organisms could survive on Enceladus today. Observations from NASA's Cassini probe and the James Webb space telescope previously revealed water plumes from the moon.
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