Jupiter’s Moon, Europa, Could Support Complex Life: Science Fiction Come to Life?

Posted by ralph on October 11, 2009

Is this straight outta Arthur C. Clarke’s 2010? Both the book and film versions ended with a message:

ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA. ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE.

and Jupiter turning into a second solar sun. Irene Klotz reports on Discovery News:

Jupiter’s moon Europa should have enough oxygen-rich water to support not only simple micro-organisms but also complex life, according to a University of Arizona researcher who studies ice flows on the frozen moon.

Judging by how quickly Europa’s surface ice is replenished, Richard Greenberg estimates that enough oxygen reaches the subterranean ocean to sustain “macrofauna” — more complex, animal-like organisms. Assuming Europa life forms would need as much oxygen as Earth-like fish, Greenberg estimates the moon’s ocean has enough oxygen to support 6.6 billion pounds of macrofauna. (More on Discovery News)

Here’s the film ending of 2010, released in 1984: