Life On Io?

At first glance, Jupiter's moon Io would seem to be among the most unlikely places to find life. At second glance, too. Even after a long, hard stare. Io is the most volcanically active body in the Solar System; its surface is regularly re-sculpted by flowing lava. But, according to Washington State University astrobiologist Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Io shouldn't be dismissed so quickly.

He points out that Io presumably formed in the same region of space as Europa and Ganymede. Since they both have substantial water components, it's fair to assume early Io did, too. Heat plus water plus some fancy organic chemistry could produce life. Obviously, the surface of Io today couldn't be home to any life we can easily imagine, but he argues subsurface life might be possible. Specifically, he says, lava tubes might provide a stable, mild environment that is protected from the lethal radiation outside. Lava tubes support bacteria colonies on Earth, and they are among the best places to search for life on Mars. Features Io likely has in abundance are lava tubes.