New study adds to possibility of favorable conditions for life at Saturn’s moon Enceladus

While Enceladus may be habitable, no one is suggesting that life exists

- 

CAPE CANAVERAL: Scientists have uncovered new types of organics in icy geysers spouting from Saturn's moon Enceladus, bolstering the likelihood that the ocean world may harbour conditions suitable for life.

Their findings, reported on Wednesday, are based on observations made by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in 2008 during a close and fast flyby of Enceladus. The small moon, one of 274 orbiting Saturn, has long been considered a prime candidate in the search for life beyond Earth because of its hidden ocean and plumes of water erupting from cracks near its south pole.

While Enceladus may be habitable, no one is suggesting that life exists.

"Being habitable and being inhabited are two very different things. We believe that Enceladus is habitable, but we do not know if life is indeed present," said the University of Washington’s Fabian Klenner, who took part in the study.