Saturn’s moon Titan is often considered a prime location for life in the solar system due to its dense atmosphere and liquid water beneath thick ice shells. However, a new analysis by an international team of astronomers suggests that this possibility may be incredibly unlikely.
The Cassini-Huygens mission provided valuable data on Titan, including its dense atmosphere and potential for organic compounds to form. But, unlike other moons in the solar system, Titan’s conditions would only support enough biomass to equal one moderately chunky cat.
A postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona, Antonin Affholder, led a team to assess the likelihood of microbial life on Titan. They focused on fermentation as a primitive process that could potentially support life, particularly through the conversion of organic compounds like glycine into energy.
Researchers found that while glycine is present on Titan’s surface and could theoretically make its way to the liquid oceans, the amount would be insufficient to support more than 16.5 pounds (7.5 kilograms) of carbon – a weight equivalent to that of most house cats.
Affholder notes that this approach may seem pessimistic, but emphasizes the importance of considering the limitations of Titan’s ecosystem. The ocean is vast, and exchange between the surface and liquid environments is limited, making it unlikely for life to thrive in such conditions.
While the findings are a disappointment, researchers still acknowledge the potential for microbial life on Titan, albeit with extremely limited possibilities.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/scientists-get-real-about-the-chances-for-alien-life-on-saturns-moon-titan-2000586859