A Lava Ocean On Io

[Anomalocaris]

A Lava Ocean On Io Could Mean Better Prospects For Alien Life

Io is an eruptive mystery. Based on scientific models, the tiny Jovian moon’s volcanoes flare up in the “wrong” places. How could that be? Well apparently, our models didn’t account for a massive subsurface ocean of lava.

That’s right: According to a new NASA study, Jupiter’s moon Io may be hiding an ocean of molten rock, powered by a process known as tidal heating. Lava oceans are fascinating in their own right, but this discovery also bears important implications for the prospects of life beyond Earth. A similar heating mechanism could fuel subsurface oceans beneath the icy moons of Europa and Enceladus — two of the most promising candidates for extraterrestrial life.

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