Specifically, these findings relate to Saturn's moon Titan, the only known body (including planets and moons) known to have standing liquid on its surface. Instead of water, Titan's bodies of water are full of hydrocarbons rich with methane and ethane. The study focused on substances apparently floating on the surface of the bodies of liquid on Titan and the study tried to ascertain what those substances were and what caused them to appear or disappear at any given time. The study used a combination of observations from the Cassini craft and some theorization was thrown in based on the telemetry and other results from the Cassini craft. Prior theories had stated that the bodies did not have floating ice. The Cassini crew has an extended chance to view the phenomena given the rather long amount of time that the Cassini craft will be/was in the proper vicinity to assess the bodies of liquid. Any results found will be used to prepare accordingly if any landing is ever made on Titan (JPL).
The Cassini craft found that blocks of hydrocarbon ice might be floating on the surface of Titan. The study stated that this may explain some of the mixed readings that have found during prior passes over the moon Titan. Jonathan Lunine, a person who was part of the Cassini project at the time, noted that the finding is indicative of the origin of terrestrial life. The study found that if indeed the formations are hydrocarbon ice, they are prolific in the northern hemisphere and more sparse in the southern hemisphere. The findings, if accurate, make Titan even more unique and more of a marker of early terrestrial life than it was before. The study also notes that there will be ample opportunity to figure out if the theories about the bodies of liquid on Titan are accurate, given the extended stay mentioned earlier. To be more specific, scientists note that ethane and methane, as mentioned earlier, are organic molecules...
This study contradicts prior theories that insisted that ice formations like the ones apparently found this time on Titan were not possible due to the chemical properties of the chemicals involved including freezing points (JPL).
In all likelihood, this article would not hold the interest of a non-astronomer. The applicable to real life, or lack thereof to be more specific (at least in the eyes of most people), would lead most to treat this with an eye roll and they would then move on to the next story. Studies of moons like Titan can be informative about how our own planet was formed, so the work should continue when priorities and funding allow for it. Matters like the American ISS astronauts being reliant on Russian spacecraft would lead many to feel that a replacement vehicle for the Shuttle should be a priority.
No major preconceptions were changed regarding this article. Just as with our own planet, a lot of what is being theorized in this article is guesswork. That being said, there is a lot known now that is provable and studies like this shed some more light on what Earth likely resembled billions of years ago. Any work done, however, should not be done with a preconceived result or bias in mind, as is the mark of any good scientist, but way too many scientists fall prey to this habit. Even with all the research, it will likely never be known for sure, at least not for decades or even centuries to become, how the Earth truly came to be.
Works Cited
Bhanoo, Sindya. "Meteorite Offers 2-Billion-Year-Old Glimpse of Mars - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. N.p., 3 Jan. 2013. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. .
JPL. "Icing on a Lake." Astrobiology Magazine -- the Origin and Evolution of Life in the Universe . N.p., 10 Jan. 2013. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. .
