Secret oceans on Uranus’ moons could make it habitable for alien life

Scientists are investigating whether Uranus’ moons could have oceans hidden beneath its surface, in their quest to find habitable worlds that could have hosted alien life.

Researchers believe that Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon, the five largest moons of Uranus would be prime candidates for investigation due to their similarities to Europa and Enceladus, the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.

Europa has long been seen as a possible candidate to have extraterrestrial life in our own solar system, but getting through the thick crust of ice on its surface presents a challenge to scientists hoping to reach the ocean and better study it.

These moons show evidence of cryovolcanism, which is when liquid and vapour material that might be trapped under the surface escapes and becomes frozen by hitting the low temperatures of space.