Saturn moon Enceladus harbors key ingredient for life

[Admin]

NASA's Cassini mission, which ended six years ago, spotted a key ingredient needed for life as we know it on Saturn's icy moon Enceladus, a new study reports.

Saturn moon Enceladus harbors key ingredient for life : Read more

 

[rod]

"The new confirmation of hydrogen cyanide — a crucial precursor for some molecules that needed to be present on Earth for life to arise  —  takes the concept that Enceladus could be habitable to a whole new level, however."

This report jarred my brain. Here is another report where HCN is used for abiogenesis to create life on Earth.

The first life on Earth depended on a deadly poisonous gas, study suggests, https://forums.space.com/threads/th...-a-deadly-poisonous-gas-study-suggests.53849/

"Could the toxic gas used in chemical weapons today have been involved in the birth of life on Earth?"…"A messy birth
In the new study, researchers developed a complex model of the early Earth. It goes a little something like this: The massive collision that created the moon just happened. Earth's surface cooled from the aftermath, with the oceans just beginning to form and the continents starting to emerge. It was still a pretty nasty place..."

Apparently HCN via abiogenesis created life on Earth, and now perhaps Enceladus too. At the moment, I have not read reports where HCN created a single cell that represents life and then continued to evolve, onwards, and upwards. Apparently Charles Darwin warm little pond in his 1871 letter can now use HCN for abiogenesis or on Enceladus too.

 

[mikeash]

Why not build a probe and put it in a geosynchronos orbit around Enceladus near to the plumes.

 

[billslugg]

The proposed Enceladus Life Finder (ELF) mission would go into orbit around Saturn and would pass through the plumes of Enceladus 8 times over three years. If it orbited only Enceladus, perhaps it would be limited in what science it got.

 

[rod]

I read this interesting report this morning about the giant impact model with Theia and abiogenesis on the early earth.

Planetary scientists simulate oxidation of iron by giant impact during atmospheric evolution of early Earth, https://phys.org/news/2023-12-planetary-scientists-simulate-oxidation-iron.html

Ref - Oxidation of iron by giant impact and its implication on the formation of reduced atmosphere in the early Earth, https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adi6096, 15-Dec-2023. "Abstract Giant impact–driven redox processes in the atmosphere and magma ocean played crucial roles in the evolution of Earth..."
My observation. Apparently now the giant impact model using Theia is good for a reducing atmosphere created on the early earth so abiogenesis can take place. What about abiogenesis on other planets like Mars, Encledaus moon? Interesting how a giant impact on Earth using Theia can help aid in abiogenesis taking place on Earth because of the early earth atmosphere arising after the giant impact. Does this scenario apply to other planets in the Milky Way and in our solar system too?