Europa's Unique Characteristics

Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, presents a fascinating environment that could potentially harbor life. Despite being covered by a thick layer of ice, it is believed to contain a subsurface ocean, resembling Earth in its geological composition which includes a rocky mantle and possibly an iron core. This icy shell is approximately 20 to 30 kilometers thick, concealing a liquid water layer underneath that may interact with the surface through geologically young features. The presence of reddish-brown spots on Europa's surface indicates areas where the ocean may have come into contact with the ice, suggesting a dynamic geological history.