One of the most interesting scientific pursuits our generation is embarking on is the search for extraterrestrial life. With advancements in technology and knowledge of the cosmos, the discovery of missions focused on finding life on earth, other than our own, have been catapulted. This article explains some of the current missions and discoveries that are shaping our pursuit for life elsewhere in the universe.
Mars has always been at the heart of life's search. Because of that, NASA's Perseverance rover, which landed on the surface of Mars in February 2021, features complex tools on board to detect signs of ancient microbial life. Perseverance also has been charged with collecting rock samples for return to Earth later for scientists to analyze and look for biosignatures—chemical markers of life. The mission is intended to answer crucial questions regarding the possibility of abode on Mars and its geological history.
Another fascinating candidate for life in space is Europa, a Jovian satellite. A subsurface ocean lies beneath its icy crust, and researchers believe that this ocean likely contains all the necessary chemical conditions to initiate life. NASA is focusing its sights on Europa as a potential habitable moon by examining ice shell, ocean, and surface composition in the soon-to-be-launched Europa Clipper mission. Scientists hope that data from this mission will finally give an answer regarding whether life could be supported on Europa.
With the moons of Mars and Europa, Saturn's moon Enceladus is another prominent candidate in this regard. Though the Cassini mission came to an end in 2017, it had already exemplified the existence of emissions of water vapor from the surface of Enceladus, and therefore confirmed a subsurface ocean. Hydrothermal activity at the bottom layer of the ocean would feed lots of intriguing questions on whether the moon could house microbial life. Future missions could uncover more about the feasibility of this possibility at Enceladus.
For example, there might be a quest for life outside our solar system. The existence of exoplanets, which are planets orbiting stars other than those in our solar system, means fresh pathways now exist for discovery. Thousands of such planets have been discovered thanks to the Kepler Space Telescope and more recently, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, TESS, which revealed hundreds of exoplanets to be located in their star's habitable zone, where conditions might be suitable for liquid water.
One of these will be the James Webb Space Telescope that in a few years will be able to launch, and it will be used to further look for extraterrestrial life by probing the atmospheres of these remote exoplanets to see if biosignatures exist. Biosignatures are the presence of oxygen, methane, or other chemicals involved with life, which scientists believe may provide insight into whether habitability exists elsewhere.
This cosmos must be researched and even with the smallest sight, keep in mind its ethical implications of discovering extraterrestrial life, because that will dramatically change the perspective of humanity on its position in the universe, and discussions surrounding planetary protection and responsible exploration are becoming more prevalent today.
The quest to find life in the universe is one exciting research field that has the capability to be updated in real time. Ongoing missions to Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn's icy moons, as well as exoplanets, put humanity on center stage for ground-breaking discoveries. With increasingly powerful technology and an understanding of the universe, perhaps soon we shall answer one of humanity's oldest questions: Are we alone in the cosmos?
