Is there life out there, somewhere in the rest of our Universe? Two prime candidates for extraterrestrial life are the icy moons of Europa and Enceladus; both appear to have salty, sub-surface oceans and tidal flexing induced energy sources. Organic compounds, necessary for extraterrestrial life to exist in these oceans, are also likely to be present and these two moons should be the next targets for exploration. This think-tank is the first in a series, organised to investigate the desirability and possibility of sending craft to explore Europa and Enceladus and their oceans.
The event will draw together scientists and enthusiasts from around the world and will address a number of significant issues:
- The current state of our knowledge
- Why we should be considering such action
- The scientific (and human), benefits of undertaking such endeavours
- The technological challenges
- The scientific complexities
- The costs and the possible sources of funding
Poster of the conference
AstronomicaMens 