As the search for extraterrestrial life continues, scientists have identified the hidden oceans beneath icy moons as target locations for discovery. However, new research from the University of Reading suggests these alien seas may be better at masking their secrets than previously believed. Thick ice layers and complex chemical processes could make detecting signs of … Continue reading "Alien Oceans May Conceal Signs of Life from Spacecraft"

Evidence is building for oceans of liquid water beneath the surface of many worlds across the Solar System—oceans that could contain life. The challenge, of course, is that these environments are hidden below tens of kilometers of ice. Even if we could sample the water from those oceans, another process could further hide evidence of life. Waters rich in organic molecules could separate into layers and resist vertical mixing, so it can’t reach the surface.