Although covered with ice, several moons of the outer solar system carry subsurface oceans containing many times the volume of liquid water on Earth and may provide the greatest volume of habitable space in our solar system. Europa holds perhaps the greatest potential as a modern habitat for microbial life. We know of three key requirements for habitability- liquid water, a suite of biologically essential elements, and a source of energy. Functional subglacial ecosystems in Antarctica, in concert with what we know about the geochemistry of Europa, provide a compelling case that its sub-ice ocean could support microbial life. Discovering life on Europa or elsewhere in the outer solar system would have an enormous impact on science and society.
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