Huygens...

[Karlos]

The aerial photographs during the descent sure seem to confirm the presence of liquids on the surface.

[Karlos]

cecilia wrote:

Karlos wrote:
The aerial photographs during the descent sure seem to confirm the presence of liquids on the surface.

yup, it seems to be methane.

(I suppose this will really boast Mr. Methane's career!)

An ocean of fart. How delightful :-D

[Karlos]

PMC wrote:

Someone suggested that below the crust of Titan is a salty ocean, and a geologically active core that could drive geothermal vents in very much the same way as seen in Earth's oceans and very possibly Europa's too.

Could a liquid, warm ocean fed by volcanic activity harbour life of some kind, a billion miles from here?

Sure. If it works here, it can work there too. As long as you have an energy source and the right ingredients it could possibly habour life.

Of course, this all assumes that there are liquid oceans underneath. There's no proof yet.

[Karlos]

Nothing new on the ESA site now for a bit. I'm getting impatient :-)

@PMC

Hmm, an ironic thought. Here on earth we have cold (relatively speaking), salty oceans of water sitting over a crust, under which there exist pools of (presumably much warmer) hydrocarbons. Titan might have it all backwards :-)

[Karlos]

(and possibly drilling upwards for hyrdrocarbons with which they power their SUVs?).

Subterrainian Utility Vehicles?

[Karlos]

cecilia wrote:
what's really happening on Titan.

 :-o

:lol:

Surprised he's not wearing a parka. It's a bit chilly out :-D