Recently, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft revealed that cryovolcanic plumes emerged from Saturn’s moon Enceladus showing the presence of phosphorus-containing minerals. This discovery has immense value, as Enceladus is considered a moon of great astrobiological significance and could potentially harbour simple forms of life. The discovery of phosphorus, an important element that acts as the energy currency of biological cells on Earth, further substantiates the impression about Enceladus and its potential to harbour life of its own. This first episode of Interstellar Insights discusses Enceladus, phosphorus on comets, on our Moon, and why we must maintain the sanctity of astrobiologically relevant sites in our Solar System.
