The study of Europa is very important for ufologists: the most popular theory among them is that UFOs originate from extraterrestrial beings. Some skeptics argue that there is no known extraterrestrial life so far, that life may exist only on Earth etc.
If life is found on Europe, as it has be found on Mars already, - repeat: already - then clearly it means that the statement of NASA director S. Goldin is true: "wherever there is liquid water, there is life".
A first step towards the future statements: if life is so abundant in our system, then it is also abundant in the abundant other planetary systems, and why would life not evolve into intelligent forms elsewhere?
With the findings of August 2000 we can already conclude that warm ice plumes may induce partial melting within Europa's ice shell, potentially creating accessible intra-ice biological niches, and underwater biological niches.
Data collected in early 2000 by the Galileo spacecraft has now generated what some scientists are calling virtually undeniable evidence that Jupiter's moon Europa has a significant water ocean churning beneath its icy surface.
Here is a Galileo picture that was used to support this conclusion. On this other picture, the moves of the icy crusts are even clearer.
Here is a summary of the announcements issued in August 2000 about the discovery of the ocean on Europa.
Consult my life on Europa special report page to get the latest developments of science - exobiology - on Europa. Life has not been found yet, but every month, new developments indicate that when the time will come to look for life on the field, the chances to find it gets better and better.
The Europa news page lists all the official announcements related to the search for life on Europa.
Here are some pictures chosen among the Galileo probe pictures published at the JPL's web site.