The joint European-US space probe, Cassini, has found dramatic evidence of liquid water on one of Saturn’s moons, raising the prospect of possible primitive life forms there. Images recorded by the craft appear to show geysers shooting from the surface.

Dr Torrence Johnson of the Cassini project said: “The spectrometer systems on board the spacecraft looking at the surface have identified simple hydrocarbon signatures in some of the areas around these vents. So, you’ve got all of the conditions for life there, what we don’t know, of course, is whether that means that you can actually sustain life there or that it could ever have arisen there.” Scientists have long known that many of Saturn’s moons have water. They decided to look closely at Enceladus because its’ smooth surface suggested recent geological activity and the presence of liquid water.

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