The space agency has spent years probing the Solar System for any signs of past or present alien life. Water molecules are considered by scientists to be the building block for the survival of all forms of life. Therefore, it is no shock that NASA scientists were sent into a frenzy when their Cassini satellite spotted “scores of lakes” on Saturn’s moon Titan.
Brian Cox revealed during his new show “The Planets” how the satellite remained in orbit following the Huygens mission of 1997.
He said in May: “Cassini remained in orbit around Saturn and a year after Huygens landed it flew high above Titan’s North Pole and discovered something seen nowhere else in the Solar System.
"Liquid pooling into not just one, but scores of great lakes.”
However, NASA was handed a shock when they discovered the liquid was not water.
Titan is the moon of Jupiter (Image: GETTY)
Titan was explored by NASA in 1997 (Image: GETTY)
Liquid pooling into not just one, but scores of great lakes
Brian Cox
Despite the apparent setback, the quest for life was still on.
Dr Cox continued: “Cassini discovered lakes of liquid methane and Earth has a strange cold twin.
“What is also fascinating, and in fact tantalising, is that Titan has a complex chemistry