Life on Europa is unlikely: new research reveals the sleepy ocean of the moon.

According to ТСН: A new analysis of data about Europa, one of Jupiter's largest moons, suggests that the ocean beneath its icy crust may be less active than previously thought. Researchers found that the bottom of this ocean lacks the energy for geological processes that could support life.

Europa is considered a promising place to look for extraterrestrial organisms. Beneath the ice that reaches 15–25 km thick, scientists estimated the presence of an ocean, the depth of which could reach 150 km — more than the volume of all Earth's oceans. At the bottom of this ocean, according to scientists' assumptions, lies a rocky mantle surrounding the moon's metallic core.

Previously, scientists believed that there might be underwater volcanoes or hydrothermal vents on Europa, similar to those found on Enceladus or actively occurring on Io. However, new research indicates the opposite: the ocean floor of Europa is likely almost devoid of energy sources.

“If we could explore this ocean with a remotely operated submarine, we predict we would not see any new cracks, active volcanoes, or plumes of hot water on the ocean floor,” said study author Paul Byrne, an assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis. According to him, geological activity on the ocean floor appears minimal.

Gravitational effects between Jupiter's moons and the gas giant itself create tidal heating, which partially prevents Europa from freezing completely. However, according to scientists' calculations, the current tidal heating is insufficient to form active geology on the ocean floor.

“It seems that there simply isn’t enough energy to support life, at least today,” Byrne noted.

Further studies may provide more precise answers. NASA plans the Europa Clipper mission for detailed exploration of this icy moon, and ESA is developing the Juice mission to study Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede. In the coming decades, scientists hope to definitively determine whether this distant world could be suitable for life.

However, it is worth noting that research is also ongoing indicating that the Moon is slowly absorbing parts of the Earth's atmosphere, and this process has been ongoing for billions of years due to 'invisible highways' created by our planet's magnetic field.

With these new discoveries, scientists are still trying to unravel the mysteries of Europa's ocean. NASA and ESA missions could be important steps toward understanding not only this moon's potential for life but also the nature of geological processes occurring there.