Webb spots a building block of life on Jupiter’s moon Europa
It is possible that Webb could spot a building block of life on Jupiter’s moon Europa. However, we have yet to send a spacecraft to explore the icy moon’s environment in enough detail to know for sure. Europa’s subsurface ocean is thought to exist beneath an icy crust, and scientists believe there is a chance of primitive microbial-level life existing there. This possibility has caused much excitement and speculation among astrobiologists. Future exploration of Europa may reveal more about its potential for life, and the Webb Space Telescope’s infrared capabilities will be helpful in that exploration.