Saturn’s Moon Mimas May Hide an Alien Ocean
Saturn’s moon Mimas, famously known for its resemblance to the Death Star in “Star Wars,” may have a hidden subsurface ocean, according to scientists. This discovery was made by researchers who studied the moon’s icy and crater-scarred outer shell.
Mimas is now the smallest of five moons in our solar system with compelling evidence of subsurface oceans, joining the ranks of Saturn’s Enceladus and Titan, and Jupiter’s Europa and Ganymede.
Scientists believe that the liquid water inside Mimas represents more than half of the moon’s total volume, and while it amounts to just 1.2-1.4% of the amount in Earth’s oceans, it could still facilitate the type of complex chemistry that could pave the way for life.
This discovery has intrigued scientists and space enthusiasts alike, as it raises the possibility of finding alien life forms within our own solar system. The research opens up new questions about the potential for life beyond Earth and the conditions needed for it to exist.
Mimas is the seventh-largest moon of Saturn, and the fact that it may harbor a subsurface ocean has put it in a league of its own. Further study is needed to confirm the existence of this ocean and to understand the implications it may have for our understanding of the universe.