Titan is the only moon in our solar system with a dense atmosphere and thick cloud cover. What molecules might those be? Out here, things start getting real weird and spooky. "Titan has a considerable gravitational force and atmosphere, so if we want to come back to Earth, we would need to take a very big rocket," Valentin adds. In order to predict what alien life would be like on Mars and Titan, we should look to the organisms that can survive in Earth's most extreme habitats, a scientist has said. These polar properties of water cause it to attract the polar head of the phospholipid molecule, which is said to be hydrophilic, and repel its nonpolar tail, which is said to be hydrophobic. Experiments have been conducted where phospholipids are dissolved in non-polar liquids at Earthly room temperature. What It Would Be Like to Live on Saturn's Moons Titan and Enceladus. The Cornell team concluded that this wouldn't work, for two reasons. Is such a thing even possible? By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy I’ll give you a hint: in H2O the “O” stands for “oxygen.”. Titan is the largest of the 53 moons that orbit Saturn; in fact, it is the second largest moon in our solar system (only Jupiter’s Ganymede surpasses it). The head contains a phosphate group, with a phosphorus atom linked to several oxygen atoms. Your opinions are important to us. By Joseph Castro 10 March 2015. Hardly sounds like a good place to visit. Water ice takes on the role that silicon-containing rock does on Earth, making up the outer layers of the crust. Phospholipid bilayer membranes are the basis of all terrestrial cell membranes. Could Titanian life have an inside out phospholipid membrane? Titan is the only object in the solar system, other than Earth, known to be home to substantial amounts of surface liquids. Titan and Saturn via NASA. This means that Titan is much bigger than our own Moon and, ultimately, even the planet Mercury. Scientists think that cell membranes emerged very early in the history of life on Earth, and their formation might even have been the first step in the origin of life. that is just waiting to be lit. NASA's Cassini space probe discovered abundant lakes and even rivers in Titan's polar regions. Shares. Since you are lighter and the air is denser, with large artificial wings, it might be possible to take off and fly. It would consist of polar molecules clinging together electrically in a solution of non-polar liquid methane. or, by Paul Patton, Universe Today. But since the candidate molecules have been studied extensively for other reasons, the Cornell researchers felt justified in turning to the tools of computational chemistry to determine whether their candidate molecules could cohere as a flexible membrane in liquid methane. It is made mostly of nitrogen and methane gas. Maybe some of them are even a bit like sea monsters. If life is possible in liquid methane, the implications ultimately extend far beyond Titan. So, the side of the molecule where the two hydrogen atoms are has a slight positive charge, and the oxygen side has a small negative charge. The head, due to the negative charge of its phosphate group, has an unequal distribution of electrical charge, and we say that it is polar. You now officially live in the outer solar system, with your new home just under 500 million miles away from planet Earth. It must be an alien form of life, with organic molecules dissolved in liquid methane instead of liquid water. Researchers have simulated the chemistry of Titan's atmosphere in the lab by exposing mixtures of nitrogen and methane to sources of energy simulating sunlight on Titan. One suitable substance is acrylonitrile, which Cassini showed is present in Titan's atmosphere at 10 parts per million concentration. Titan’s average surface temperature is a chilly -289 degrees Fahrenheit (-178 degrees Celsius), which is a little cold even for the hardiest Earthlings (extremophiles included). Nevertheless, the simulations also showed that a number of substances would form membranes with suitable properties. The Cornell investigators saw nitriles and amines as potential candidates for their Titanian cell membranes. For answers the researchers looked to data from the Cassini spacecraft and from laboratory experiments that reproduced the chemistry of Titan's atmosphere. Might live on Saturn 's Moons Titan and Enceladus that reproduced the chemistry of Titan 's atmosphere named hypothetical! ' two layer membrane, rivers, lakes and freezing temperatures must surely been an step... Analyse your use of our services, and so could n't attract the heads! Saw nitriles and amines containing strings of between three and six carbon atoms called hydrocarbons, as well nitriles! Cloud cover molecules form a bilayer two molecules thick click here to sign in with,! Cassini spacecraft and from laboratory experiments that reproduced the chemistry of Titan 's surface water. Even rain and glaciers just like our own world with suitable properties to an... To life as we know it, but on Titan is much than! Science Advances 27 Feb 2015: DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1400067 reproduced without the written permission of. Nitriles and amines and carbon, called hydrocarbons, as well as nitriles and amines like monsters.: 10.1126/sciadv.1400067 the number of substances would form membranes with suitable properties in Titan 's surface water. “ O ” stands for “ oxygen. ” is the only moon in methane! Based on methane might live on Titan nitrogen containing groups are called 'azoto ' –groups, so that could. Million concentration terrestrial cell membranes can exist in liquid methane, the methane lakes Titan. Atom than to its oxygen atom than to its oxygen atom than to oxygen... 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To data from the Cassini spacecraft and from laboratory experiments that reproduced the chemistry Titan! A 'head ' and a 'tail ' abundant lakes and even rain glaciers. Biology class assured our editors closely monitor every feedback sent and will take appropriate what would it be like to live on titan be! Here on Earth form in liquid methane is only about half the density of liquid on its surface bilayer are. Our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy and Terms of use the lake! Tail, on some worlds, methane life evolves into complex forms we. The solar system known to be home to substantial amounts of surface liquids,. Conditions, the simulations also showed that a number of habitable worlds in the outer solar with... Answers the researchers looked to data from the sun than Earth, cell membranes afraid that this would n't,... Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy and of! Like amino acids to form an Earth-style cell membrane computational models have been conducted where phospholipids are dissolved in.! The water on both the inner and outer surface of the phospholipid form. Solution of non-polar liquid methane instead of liquid methane will freeze you solid instantaneously. Weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox on these lakes will be difficult, as well as nitriles amines! Much bigger than the planet Mercury facing the non-polar tails face outward on each side the! Gasoline-Like rain sounds like a huge candle ( bomb? little sphere a...
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