SETI Live: The Moon that Could Support Life

Join host Beth Johnson for a fascinating episode of SETI Live, featuring planetary scientists Dr Georgina Miles and Dr Carly Howett from the University of Oxford. We’ll be unpacking their groundbreaking study showing that Enceladus - one of Saturn’s icy moons - may harbor a stable subsurface ocean capable of supporting life.

What we’ll cover:

• How the Cassini mission’s data revealed heat flow from Enceladus’ north pole, overturning previous assumptions that only the south pole was active. 
• Why balancing energy input and loss is critical for a long-term liquid ocean - and hence, for life. 
• The implications for astrobiology: Does a stable ocean make Enceladus one of the strongest places in our Solar System to look for life?
• What open questions remain: How long has the ocean existed? What chemistry lies beneath the ice? What future missions might uncover next?

Guests:

• Dr Georgina Miles - lead author of the study and visiting scientist at Oxford
• Dr Carly Howett - corresponding author of the study and planetary scientist at Oxford

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