Life on Europa: Water from a subsurface ocean on Jupiter's moon, Europa, could reach the surface through seeps or erupt from hot water vents. Life on Europa: Water from a subsurface ocean on Jupiter's moon, Europa, could reach the surface through seeps or erupt from hot water vents. These include carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur, which are common elements, and scientists think it's likely they were present on Europa as it formed. The equation for life (as we know it) is surprisingly simple: soluble water, an energy source, and organic compounds. Researchers might not have to dig as deep as they thought to find proof of biological activity. As Europa travels around Jupiter, the massive planet bends and flexes the satellite, generating interior heat that keeps its water from freezing completely. Jupiter’s moon Europa appears to have all three.

One Nasa mission, Europa Clipper, is scheduled to launch in the 2020s with the express aim of finding out whether the Jovian moon could harbour life.

Evidence of life on Jupiter's moon Europa could be just inches below the surface.

This water would reveal the chemistry of the subsurface ocean and may contain microbes that live below. Forbes takes privacy seriously and is committed to transparency. Europa is one of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter, in addition to Io, Ganymede, and Callisto.

Europa is officially the sixth closest moon of the planet Jupiter and the sixth largest moon in the entire solar system. A British space scientist says it is 'almost a racing certain' that Jupiter's moon Europa is home to alien life, but believes they are 'octopus' like creatures. The best evidence that there's an ocean on Europa was gathered by NASA's Galileo spacecraft, which orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003. It's also one of the most talked about moons, as it has made several headlines over the years for its interesting characteristics, discovered through observation from various spacecrafts.

Although slightly smaller than the moon that revolves around planet Earth, the composition of Europa is what has scientists excited. Artist's concept image by NASA / JPL. Europa is one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter, along with Io, Ganymede and Callisto. This water would reveal the chemistry of the subsurface ocean and may contain microbes that live below. For Europa to be potentially habitable, it would need to have the essential chemical ingredients for the chemistry of life. Europa, a frozen moon around Jupiter, is believed to be one of the most habitable worlds in the solar system. Europa, one of the largest of Jupiter's 67 or more moons, is thought to have an ocean sloshing around beneath its icy crust — and scientists have high hopes that it … The spacecraft made 12 close flybys of Europa and one of its instruments, a magnetometer, detected that a magnetic field was being created within Europa as Jupiter's powerful magnetic field swept past the moon. Scientists think the most likely thing that could …