Dwarf Planet Ceres Along With Mars And Two Gas Giant Moons Could All Have The Right Ingredients In Life, Scientists Say

The scientists found evidence of organic materials on the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres. This makes the dwarf planet along with Mars, Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus possible places that could harbor life, according to scientists.

The Dawn's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIR) detected the organic materials found on the dwarf planet. The researchers examined these data and discovered that they are positive for organic materials. NASA stated that the organics discovery adds to Ceres' attributes associated with ingredients and conditions for life in the distant past.

Spacecraft spots organic molecules — carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it — on dwarf planet Ceres https://t.co/Tvk9YjouFm pic.twitter.com/ZTSLc7kR9T

— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 18, 2017

The findings of the discovery were printed in the journal Science. It was led by Maria Cristina De Sanctis of Rome's National Institute of Astrophysics and other colleagues, according to New Scientist.

De Sanctis said that this is the first clear detection of organic molecules from orbit on the main belt body. She further said that the combined presence on Ceres of ammonia-bearing hydrated minerals, salts, carbonates, water ice and organic material suggests a very complex chemical environment, indicating favorable environments to prebiotic chemistry.

The team found organic compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen bonds in the Ernutet crater. They also discovered organic compounds in some smaller areas about kilometers away from the crater. Organic material refers to compounds made chiefly of carbon bound to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. Life relies heavily on these compounds, according to Forbes.

The scientists think that the organic materials did not come from an interstellar source like a comet or asteroid hitting Ceres. As theorized, the planet Ceres may have an ocean of liquid water below its surface, water ice and other molecules.

Michael Kuppers, an astronomer at the European Space Agency said that this opens the possibility that primitive life could have developed on Ceres itself. The group is now examining the discovery and trying to figure out why the organic compounds are densely concentrated in such a small area.