News Planetary Science

Our picture of habitability on Europa, a top contender for hosting life, is changing

A NASA mission may help us understand if life could exist in its subsurface ocean

A image of Europa, a moon of Jupiter.

Jupiter’s icy moon Europa may possess a subsurface sea and is considered one of the most promising worlds to explore for life.

JPL-Caltech/NASA, SETI Institute

By Nikk Ogasa

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS — On stage, before a silent assembly of scientists, many of whom are experts on alien worlds, planetary scientist Paul Byrne assumed his position behind the podium.