logo
welcome
Live Science

Live Science

Saturn's moon Titan may have a 6-mile-thick crust of methane ice — could life be under there?

Live Science
Summary
Nutrition label

76% Informative

Scientists say the icy shell of Saturn 's largest moon, Titan , could possess an insulated, six-mile -thick layer of methane ice beneath its surface.

This layer may make signs of life from the subsurface ocean of Titan easier to detect.

The discovery could help scientists better understand Titan 's carbon cycle, its liquid methane-based "hydrological cycle" and changing climate of the Saturnian moon .

The team's research was published on Sept. 30 in The Planetary Science Journal .

The research could act as a helpful guide to NASA scientists who intend to investigate Titan .

Dragonfly is set to launch in 2028 and hopefully reach the Saturnian system in 2034 to conduct up-close observations of Titan .