I’m not a scientist, although I admire those who chose this field of study.  So, let me begin this article and its questions with a disclaimer: there’s a lot I don’t understand.

Before the questions, a little background.  There is a moon that circles Saturn, Enceladus, which apparently is geologically active and venting water toward Saturn.  The water from these emissions is believed to have formed one of Saturn’s outer rings.

Astronomers are really excited about Enceladus because there is water there.  And, they surmise, where there is water, there is a likelihood of life.  They speculate that they may find life, though primitive and simple, on Enceladus.

This is where my ignorant questions come into play.  Why don’t scientists employ sterile water here on earth, add whatever chemical agents and conditions they think are necessary for optimum success, and see what happens?  To put it another way, why would scientists think that they would be more likely to find life 800 million miles away, spontaneously generating in such a hostile environment than in conditions that are optimum?  If I remember correctly, I think the surface temperature of Enceladus is 300 degrees Fahrenheit below zero.

For those scientists out there, please correct me.  I’m serious.  I don’t understand.

Is it because if you find life on Enceladus, it will confirm your theories about how life evolved in this solar system?  If that’s true, wouldn’t a better first step be to see if it’s possible if life can really just spontaneously generate on earth first?   

Help me here.