"NASA's Mission: Detecting Alien Life with a Single Ice Grain"

Lab experiments show that spacecraft instruments can detect signs of alien life in ice grains spewed by moons like Enceladus and Europa. By flying through ice plumes and analyzing the particles, scientists can identify bacterial cells and organic molecules that may indicate the presence of life-friendly molecules in subsurface oceans. Instruments on upcoming missions like Europa Clipper could potentially detect traces of life in icy moons, making it easier than previously thought to find signs of life in our solar system.