On Science – Jupiter’s Water Moon

    Published: 06-16-2009
    Views: 8,916
    12-13-13: On this episode of On Science, scientists discover a supervolcano in Utah, an ancient dinosaur had a flashy head ornament, and researchers crack an old DNA code.

    What's Europa showing us now?


    A noble find in outer space…


    The secret's out about DNA…


    And what's lies beneath the Utah ground…. Coming up today… On Science!


    Hello and welcome to the Daily Orbit.  I’m Emerald Robinson.


    Europa just keeps getting our attention.  For a long time scientists have suspected the presence of liquid water under the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa and now Hubble is seeing water vapor from that other world.  Scientists suspect that it erupted from plumes on the surface of Europa.  If so, this makes It easier for future missions to investigate the chemical make-up of Europa because it means they won’t have to drill.  This isn’t the first observation of water vapor on a moon.  Saturn’s moon Enceladus showed signs of water vapor back in 2005. Scientists say that long fissures on Europa’s surface, known as linae, might be releasing the water vapor into space.  NASA says if confirmed, this just goes to further prove the power of the Hubble Telescope.




    In our DNA lies a mysterious secret—a code.  Though it sounds like something in a Dan Brown novel, it’s true.  Researchers at the University of Washington have discovered a “second code” hiding within our DNA.  Since the 60s when the first code was discovered, scientists assumed it was only used to write information about proteins. But the new study showed that genomes actually use the genetic code to write two separate languages---one describing how proteins are made and the other instructing the cell on how genes are controlled.  One language is written on top of the other which is why the second code could remain hidden so long.  Scientists say this new information is a game change in understanding health and disease. 







    And that’s it for On Science.  Don’t forget to check out the Geminids meteor shower tonight and tomorrow night!