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Question
Is the high radiation environment of Europa likely to preclude the formation and evolution of life there?
No, the high radiation present on the surface of Europa would not preclude the formation of life. If there is life on Europa, it is almost certainly present in the subsurface ocean. Data from the Galileo spacecraft has suggested that there is a water ocean below several kilometers of ice. The ice would serve a radiation shield, blocking the charged particles that bombard the Europan surface.
October 29, 2001
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- Astrobiology Career Path Suggestions
