Signs of Life Found on Saturn's Moon Titan

The U.S. Space agency NASA has come across vital clues that point towards the possibility of primitive life forms on Titan, one of the 22 moons orbiting Saturn, the second largest planet in the solar system.

Titan, which happens to be the second largest moon in the entire solar system, is the only other planetary body in the solar system apart from Earth on which clear evidence of liquid bodies on the surface has been found. The moon is known to contain lakes of methane that range from a few kilometres wide to ones that are measure 100s of kilometres across.

Size comparison of the Earth, Titan and the Earth's Moon

NASA, in its latest findings, says that Titan could be a haven for primitive life forms owing to its atmosphere, the densest known amongst all the moons. The findings are based on the data sent by the Cassini space probe which was launched back in 1997 and is still sending data whilst orbiting Saturn, 12 years on.

The latest findings have been compiled into two papers and according to them, there is evidence that the presence of hydrogen in the upper layers of the atmosphere slowly disappears as you go down - pointing towards the evidence of Hydrogen being used up by living beings present on the surface of the moon. This points toward a life form that is different from the water based life for as we know it on Earth. Life forms on the Titan, as the report states, would be methane based.

While it might be heartening to note that there could be possibility of life on a moon not far from the Earth (in astronomical terms), the Titan is still a toxic hell for us humans to be there. However, in about 4 billion years time, when the Sun expands and becomes a red giant, parching the Earth and killing all life forms in it, the Titan could prove to be a second abode and a virtual paradise.