The search for extraterrestrial life within our own solar system has just received a massive boost. Data from the Cassini spacecraft's deepest dive through the icy plumes of Saturn's moon Enceladus has revealed the distinct chemical signature of molecular hydrogen.



This strongly points to the existence of hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor of the tiny moon. Here on Earth, deep-sea hydrothermal vents are teeming with life that thrives entirely cut off from sunlight, using chemical energy instead. To know that a similar environment likely exists beneath the icy crust of Enceladus is incredibly exciting. It truly is one of the most promising habitats for potential microbial life we have ever found.