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Lake spotted on Titan?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the ultimate-polar-bear-swim dept.

jahead writes "It looks like a lake has been seen on Saturn's moon Titan by the Cassini probe. But don't get too excited yet. As mentioned by Elizabeth Turtle in the article, it could also be a dried up lake that left dark deposits."

4 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. What would be the significance of this? by bc90021 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm not trolling, I'm curious. Surely, liquids exist in space, and surely they must pool? If it were a *water* lake I'd say that'd be something (life!?), but on a planet where there's likely methane rain, there's likely methane lakes.

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    1. Re:What would be the significance of this? by ProfaneBaby · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's based primarily on the assumption that liquid pools are more likely to harbor the beginnings of 'some form' of life. Methane, being a carbon derivative, could perhaps provide the initial basis for simple lifeforms.

      I basically agree with you - the 'wow' factor is nice, but the true value is still pretty questionable.

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    2. Re:What would be the significance of this? by Leroy_Brown242 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "The problem with oil isn't that we're using it - it's that we have no plan to handle the byproducts produced by using it."

      So the hangover is the problem, not the drinking?

      One is caused by the other. If we can't effectivly eliminate the issues our planet suffers by using fossil fuels, then we need to stop.

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  2. Re:Light please! by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There's no free oxygen in Titan's atmosphere. You couldn't even get the match to burn.

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