"All these worlds are yours. Except Europa. Attempt no landing there." So warned the protectors of life on Jupiter's icy moon in 2010: Odyssey Two, by Arthur C. Clarke.
The novel's omnipotent aliens are adamant that the life forms inhabiting Europa's oceans should be left to evolve without interference.
The prospect of finding extraterrestrial life on Europa has inspired real scientists to plan ambitious – and expensive – missions. But they, too, are cautious about landing. The risk of contamination is very real: no one wants to introduce earthly bugs to a pristine environment.
Now the discovery that Europa is emitting plumes that could be checked for biomarkers offers a tantalising alternative (see "Water plumes spark a race to Jupiter moon Europa"). Perhaps we can detect life without attempting a landing at all.
This article appeared in print under the headline "ET: off limits but within reach"
- New Scientist
- Not just a website!
- Subscribe to New Scientist and get:
- New Scientist magazine delivered every week
- Unlimited online access to articles from over 500 back issues
- Subscribe Now and Save
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.
