Europa, one of Jupiter’s icy moons, long has fascinated scientists because of what may lie beneath its frozen shell: a global ocean of liquid water. That hidden ocean has made Europa one of the most compelling places in the solar system to study the conditions that might support life. But new research led by Rutgers scientist Lujendra Ojha suggests one of the most promising shortcuts to Europa’s ocean may be far more complicated than previously thought.

Europa, one of Jupiter’s icy moons, long has fascinated scientists because of what may lie beneath its frozen shell: a global ocean of liquid water. That hidden ocean has made…

For a long time, scientists assumed that the tiny water pools at Europa's surface came from the moon's deep, icy oceans. But is that physically possible?