Earth was assumed until only recently to be the only planet in the solar system with liquid water. But space scientists now understand this is not the case, following decades of missions by US space agency NASA. And NASA is increasingly confident these watery worlds are the best place to look for alien life.
NASA has accordingly now launched its Ocean Worlds Exploration Program, in an audacious attempt to track down aquatic alien life.
There could be some crazy form of methane-based life right there on Titan’s surface
NASA's Dr Amanda Hendrix
Dr Amanda Hendrix, co-lead of the NASA Roadmaps to Oceans World Group, exclusively explains how the Ocean World’s Program represents one of the best chances of encountering alien life.
She said: “Ocean worlds may represent the best possibility, in our solar system, of finding life.
“We need to understand whether these oceans are habitable and if so, whether these oceans actually host life.”
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Titan: Could Saturn's moon be home to a bizarre methane-based life? (Image: Getty)
Cassini: Saturn's moon, Titan, shown in UV and infrared wavelengths, could harbour alien life (Image: Getty)
And Dr Hendrix believes Saturn’s moon Titan represents a fascinating prospect for finding alien life.
The NASA scientist said: “Titan is a very unique ocean world because it has both an ocean at the subsurface and it also has liquid hydrocarbon lakes on the surface.
“So there could be some crazy form of methane-based life right there on Titan’s surface.”
However any life found in these oceans would certainly be simple, she adds.
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“There would not be aliens with green heads swimming around in there.
“I think it is possible there could be some simple life forms in some of these ocean worlds in our outer