Scientists find new moons around Neptune and Uranus
USA TodayFEB 2024
Study Reconsiders Possibility of Life on Uranus Moons
Above: Mosaic image of Miranda, innermost of Uranus' large satellites. Taken by the Voyager 2 in 1986. Image copyright: Contributor/Corbis Historical via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This is tremendous news for those who wish to find life-sustaining environments on other planets. After 40 years of questions, we may finally learn that Uranus is not a barren ball of ice but rather the source of massive amounts of water.
Narrative B
While these discoveries are remarkable, let's not forget that discovering life on Uranus’ moons is unlikely due to the extreme cold climate, limited tidal heating, and the potential saltiness of subsurface oceans. This makes chemical energy for life hard to access without solar warmth.