02x05 - Europa

[bunniefuu]

All right, there's ice on Mars,

which means there's lots of potential
for evidence of past life on Mars.

So, there's plenty of data
for NASA to keep testing.

But we shouldn't just look in one spot.

That's true. The solar system
is a vast and wondrous place.

If Mars has potential,
perhaps other spots do too.

Great work, everyone. All this talk
of ice sure is making me thirsty.

So where should we look next?

Thanks, big brother.

Well, we all know life needs water.

So if we wanna find life, we should
explore a place that has lots of water.
So if we wanna find life, we should
explore a place that has lots of water.

A place with lots of water
sure sounds nice right about now.

And I have just the place: Europa.

[clears throat] It's pronounced "Europe."

No, sir.
Europa is one of Jupiter's moons.

And according to these images,
it looks very promising.

It's covered in ice.

We already explored a planet with ice,
and we didn't find any aliens.

Yes. But as we learned on Mars,

wherever there's ice,
there could also be liquid water.

If we search Europa,
who knows what we'll find.

Did you say Europa?

Wonderful choice.

NASA is very interested in Europa
as a potential place to find life

because our probes suggest
there might be an ocean there!

Could we use the probes
to help us explore Europa?

Well, we'd need someone
who's very skilled at operating robots.

[Peppermint Patty clears throat]

Ladies and gentlemen,
this is your captain speaking.

We'll be arriving at Europa shortly.
So sit back and enjoy the flight.

Okay then. Happy hunting.

[wind whistling]
[wind whistling]

[teeth chattering]

How's our search going? Any updates?

The good news is we found ice.

Lots and lots and lots of ice.

The bad news is no ocean.

I don't know why you're surprised.

The further away a planet is from the sun,
the colder it is.

And the colder it is, the less likely
you are to find liquid water. Just ice.

Hmm. Let's keep searching.

CARA said they have evidence of an ocean.
It's got to be here somewhere.

Well, we finished looking over the whole
moon. Should we do another sweep?

Like I said, we are never going to find
anything on this snowball. Just ice.

Wait. [gasps] I think I found something.

Hey. I see it too.

Marcie, can you enhance the image?

On it, sir.

[gasps] A geyser!

That's liquid water.

Do you know what this means?
Do you know what this means?

The ocean we've been looking for isn't
on the surface. It's underneath the ice.

Wow. An ocean inside a moon?

Just where I thought it would be.
But Europa's so far from the sun.

Why isn't the water frozen?

I can answer that!

The gravitational pull
from Jupiter's orbit is so strong,

it creates waves like ocean tides.

The energy from those waves keep Europa's
water warm and liquid under its icy shell.

We're not sure yet,

but we also think that tidal energy
might also produce hydrothermal vents!
but we also think that tidal energy
might also produce hydrothermal vents!

Hydrothermal events? That sounds fancy.

No, Sally, vents.

They're like geysers
but on the ocean floor.

They release jets of warm water

that might be filled with
organic molecules from the rocks below.

The exact minerals
that form the building blocks of life.

So, Europa has water, energy
and organic material.

And it's possible it might have another
important component for life: time.

Having water, energy
and organics is a good start,

but it takes a long time
for life to grow and evolve.

We think Europa's ocean
has existed for billions of years.

So, anything could be in there,

from single-celled organisms
to giant sea creatures.

Perhaps it won't be much longer
until we have the technology to find out.

Think of the possibilities.
[gasps] Like space sharks.
Think of the possibilities.
[gasps] Like space sharks.

I'm not sure I'm ready
to think about space sharks.

[sighs] I'll go get a mop.

[Franklin] An ocean in a moon.

And another amazing clue
in our search for life.

Why can't I have a normal dog?