Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Europa's Acid Ice Fields

Posted by Hemos on from the melt-your-skin dept.

tr0llb4rt0 writes "The New Scientist reports on recent observations that suggest the ice on Jupiter's moon Europa may be highly acid with a pH of near zero, and have a surface layer of hydrogen peroxide. Two theories have been put forward. One says that the acid has been formed at the surface layer from oceanic salts reacting with the intense radiation from Jupiter, the other that sulphuric acid is coming directly from the ocean, with the water reacting with sulphur produced from undersea volcanos. Wilst reducing the chances of life on Europa, it is not ruling it out completely, as there are terrestrial extremophile bacteria which thrive in highly acid environments."

13 of 311 comments (clear)

  1. fp by Sprite+Remix · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    fp

    1. Re:fp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Congratu-fucking-lations

  2. WOWOWOW! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    ArkDarkMcGark!!!!!

  3. VERY ELITE ACiD AND iCE INDEED! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    AHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    If you can identify the below 10 terms YOU were an ART SCENE D00D:

    CelerityNet
    iCE
    ACiD
    Obv/2
    Tempus Thales
    RaD MaN
    The Dark Palace
    Infinite Darkness
    FusioN
    TeleGard (ReneGade -- sure it aint a hex rip!)

    ANONYMOUS KARMA WHORIN!

  4. anyone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    anyone else read that as Europe? or am i going blind by watching too much pr0n?

  5. XBox rules!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    first post!!! you lame assholes... I can post first because my XBox is a american product and my pride in my great country and my great XBox accelerate everything...

    If only they would make games for that bitch... IAve played Metroid Prime and it ruled... I hope M$ will buy those japanese bastards and port Metroid to my great american console system!!!

  6. Good listening by numbski · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Wierd Al Yankovich - Since You've Been Gone.mp3

    Then go swimming on Europa!

    --

    Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).

  7. Mhmm...Acid Ice! by Lispy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Reminds me of long, hot, trippy summernights back in my teens!

    Lispy

  8. Renegade wasn't a hex rip! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Cott Lang had the source code, and he *heavily* modified it for years, adding features Telegard wouldn't obtain until years later when Tim Strike took over and released Telegard 3.0.

  9. Acid.. by iLEZ · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Acid? What? Ok! Im Listening, go on.

    --
    You cant fight in here, its a war room!
  10. Re:With all that hydrogen peroxide by craw · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Acid? blondes? Hey, you might be right!

    I guess the others were natural brunettes.

  11. Re:pH of near zero? by pclminion · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    Hogwash!

    What is the pH of hogwash? Are hogs acidic or basic?

    Anybody know?

  12. MOD PARENT UP: +1 insightful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    nt