Phosphorus, the key element of life, is found on Enceladus

Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, June 15 (Reporter Liu Xia) A team led by scientists from the Southwest Research Institute of the United States, using the data provided by the NASA's Cassini probe, detected the key element of life phosphorus in the ocean of Enceladus, which exists in the form of phosphate. The relevant research paper was published in the journal Nature on the 14th

Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, June 15 (Reporter Liu Xia) A team led by scientists from the Southwest Research Institute of the United States, using the data provided by the NASA's Cassini probe, detected the key element of life phosphorus in the ocean of Enceladus, which exists in the form of phosphate. The relevant research paper was published in the journal Nature on the 14th.

The research team will use geochemical modeling to predict that Enceladus's oceans should be rich in phosphorus in 2020. Now they have confirmed their prediction from plumes of ice spewing from Enceladus's underground ocean.

Cassini has explored Saturn, Rings of Saturn and their satellite systems for more than 13 years. The "Cosmic dust analyzer" on the detector analyzed a class of ice particles rich in salt, which showed that there was sodium phosphate in them. The team's observation results and the simulation experiment carried out in the laboratory show that phosphorus is easy to exist in the form of phosphate in the ocean of Enceladus.

Phosphorus in the form of phosphate is crucial for all life on Earth. It is crucial for the creation of DNA and RNA, molecules carrying energy, cell membranes, human and animal bones and teeth, and even the microbiome of marine plankton. Without phosphate, the known life cannot exist.

The researchers found that the concentration of phosphate in Enceladus's seawater is at least 100 times that in Earth's oceans. Geochemical experiments and modeling show that such a high concentration of phosphate is due to the enhanced solubility of Phosphate mineral in Enceladus and other marine objects that may freeze.

The research team pointed out that the evidence of phosphate found on Enceladus is exciting, and it is an important step for scientists in searching for extraterrestrial life.

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