Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why might deep-sea vents on Earth provide a model for life on Europa?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Planet TOI 700e — extraterrestrial life An illustration of the Earth-size planet TOI 700e orbiting within the habitable zone of its star. The habitable zone is the area around a star where liquid water, and thus possibly life, can survive on a planet's surface. Its Earth-size sibling, TOI 700d, can be seen in the distance.

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents serve as a compelling model for potential life on Europa because they demonstrate that complex ecosystems can thrive in total darkness, independent of photosynthesis.123

On Earth, these vent communities rely on chemosynthesis, where bacteria derive chemical energy by oxidizing sulfur compounds. Because Europa is believed to possess a subsurface liquid saltwater ocean warmed by tidal energy, scientists hypothesize that similar chemical processes could support microbial life beneath its icy crust.13456

The discovery of these vent-based ecosystems fundamentally shifted the search for extraterrestrial life, proving that life does not require sunlight to flourish. By studying how organisms survive in extreme, aphotic environments on Earth, researchers gain critical insights into the viability of life-forms in the dark, potentially mineral-rich oceans of Jovian moons.52