IS THERE LIFE IN SPACE?

This is the most common question that lingers in the mind of most of us. Even scientists all over the world are constantly trying to find an answer to the same question.
The Insight spacecraft launched by NASA in November has joined hands with other space researchers and is trying to find life on Mars.
However, with NASA’s various science assignments, we are now able to observe and study the environment of various planets and the stars in the solar system. We have also found a few planets which roughly have the same environment as that on Earth.
With the coming of new and better technology, we will soon be able to find life in space. The whole world is on its feet trying to develop better and more precise instruments for the study of space.

Life in Space: Home and Space Life

Space life can be found pretty close to us. Europa, which is Jupiter's moon has the potential to support life.
As per the observations made by NASA, this planet has all the three elements which are a must support life. Europa has a liquid form of water to initiate chemical reactions, various chemical elements that can support the biological growth and different sources of energy too.
The geological activities on Europa can be responsible for various chemical reactions. It has a good amount of water on it too.
Not only Europa, but there are also many other planetary moons in the solar system which have the potential to support life. There is an ocean flow on Enceladus.
Along with this, it also has water vapors, volatile gases, carbon dioxide, salts, carbon monoxide, and silica on its surface.
It is Europa as well as Enceladus which has grabbed the attention of the scientists due to their environment and have a lot of possibilities to support life soon.
There are talks about starting a mission named Europa Clipper in 2022. As part of this mission, a spacecraft will be launched, orbiting the moons around planet Jupiter and might help in answering most of our questions.
Mars too has seen various missions being launched on it. Mars too has a lot of potential to support life and hence ExoMars is being started which will go to Mars to hunt for life soon.

Life in Space: Other Ways of Prediction

According to scientists, a living creature walking or swimming in front of the cameras are not the only indication to predict life in space.
We can try to look at the planets present in space and see if they too survive with the help of photosynthesis just like planets on earth.
NASA very recently dedicated around $7 million for its interdisciplinary projects. These projects will try to put life-detection instruments on Mars and the moon of Jupiter to see any trace of life there.
However, scientists believe that there is a possibility to find life in the solar system which doesn’t need an Earth-like environment to survive and grow.

Life in Space: Life Delivered

A very peculiar yet interesting theory put forward by researchers is that life can come in front of us on its own. There had been seeing of mysterious unidentified object on Earth last year.
A cigar-shaped object was spotted in Hawaii in 2017 and it was 10 times as long as it was wide. It had a very amusing ability to accelerate so fast. It left most of the researchers awestruck.
Scientists believe that it could be some alien spacecraft from another solar system. Everyone around the world thinks that we cannot be the only form of living life present in the universe as there are various galaxies in space with many planets in it.

Life in Space: Summary

All in all, there are many planets in the solar system which have a favorable environment to support life. However, even after innumerable research and missions, no one has been successful in finding out the answer to the question.
There can be a chance that some sort of life about which we are unaware can be present in the solar system. Such life might not always need the kind of environment we are used to living in.
But, on the positive side, with time we might just be able to find life in space. There is NASA who is trying to send a lot of spacecraft to Europa, which is Jupiter's moon, Enceladus which is Saturn’s moon and Mars.