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Ammonia on Pluto hints at hidden ocean supporting Life

Shortpedia

Content Team
Image Credit: shortpedia

Astronomers have detected traces of ammonia mixed with the rusty coloration of Pluto's icy surface from the data collected by a spacecraft in 2015. Ammonia-tainted ice hints at a salty, organic-rich ocean beneath Pluto's surface, which may sustain the ingredients for life. The new study also suggests the presence of elusive ice volcanoes, drawing water and ammonia from underground and spewing it all over the surface.