On December 25, 2004, the Huygens probe separated from the Cassini spacecraft and landed on the sandy surface of the Titan. The probe survived 72 hours on Saturn’s largest moon, revealing a chemically complex and more Earth-like world than expected. Over the years, Titan has attracted scientists as a foreign world that may have the proper conditions of custody living, although its form is very different from that of the ones on Earth. New NASA’s research suggests that molecular precursors of life may form in the methane lakes of Titan, giving us the opportunity to understand how life originated in the universe.
In a recent paper published in the International Journal of Astrobiology, NASA researchers explain how small vesicles naturally form membrane-like chambers or vesicle-like vesicles in the lakes of Titans. Vesicles are considered to play a crucial role in the formation of life, which is an important step in making biological cell precursors. The paper examines how living conditions develop in a very different environment from the Earth, thus illuminating the revelation of our search for alien life in the universe.
Titan is the only world, with liquid on its surface except the earth. However, unlike the Earth’s water bodies, swimming is not recommended for Titan’s lakes and oceans because they contain liquid hydrocarbons such as ethane and methane. Water is known to be crucial to life, but what if the Titans’ lakes have what they need to cover up the molecular evolution needed to cover up life?
The paper outlines a process that can form stable vesicles on Titans based on data collected so far about the lunar atmosphere and chemistry. On Earth, molecules called amphiphiles have a split personality, with a hydrophobic (terror) end and a hydrophilic (loving water) end. In water, molecules naturally organize into spherical spheres similar to soap bubbles, so that the hydrophilic portion interacts with water outward, while its hydrophobic counterparts disperse inside the sphere. This allows molecules to form complex structures and may lead to the early Earth’s original cell membrane.
According to the paper, on Titan, these vesicles may form due to the moon’s complex meteorological cycle. Methane in the Titan atmosphere forms clouds, raining on the ground to form rivers to fill the moon’s lakes and oceans. The liquid on the surface then evaporates again to form clouds again. Researchers behind the new study show that spray droplets from rainwater and sea surface can be applied in two or two layers. When the liquid drops on the surface of the pond, two layers of wood meet to form a double-layer vesicle. Over time, vesicles will be dispersed throughout the pond and will compete during evolution, which may lead to the formation of original protocrystals.
“The existence of any vesicles of Titan against Titans will show increased order and complexity, which is a necessary condition for the origin of life,” said Conor Nixon, co-author of the new study, in a statement. “We are excited about these new ideas because they can open up new directions in Titan research and potentially change the way we look for life on Titans in the future.”
NASA is preparing to launch Dragonfly, the agency’s first giant mission, in July 2028. Rotorcraft Lander will explore Saturn’s lunar surface and collect data on its atmosphere and geology. Dragonflies will help scientists better understand the strange worlds that live under completely different conditions.
