Microbes Survive Enceladus-Like Conditions In Lab

Lab experiments show microbes from Earth's hydrothermal vents survived conditions mimicking Enceladus' subsurface ocean, boosting the Saturnian moon's case as a life-hunting target. A second study found plume material may separate salts, organics and potential biosignatures into individual ice grains, making them easier for future spacecraft to detect. Frank Postberg co-authored the research.