It is Probable that Europa Supports Life

Pro has presented his argument that there are places on Europa where earth organisms might be able to live. He bases this on the idea that “life (as we know it) requires several things before it can flourish: liquid water, energy, protection from radiation, carbon and oxygen.”I agree whole heartedly with these things, and I believe that there mat be earth organisms that might live in the harsh and low energy environment of Europa.Then Pro makes several statements that are completely unfoundedPro states : “Europa . . . . can create an environment that is hospitable for life” To the best of our knowledge there is nothing on Europa that is hospitable. We would call it a hostile environment. In the case of earth, even our hostile environments are likely to have living creatures adapt to the harsh conditions because they can slowly adapt to those conditions while living in the less harsh area near by.Pro states : “can have a means of abiogenisis, so that is more likely than not to have life in its oceans” (spelling error in original)This statement is interesting for two reasons.1. It presumes that abiogenesis (life spontaneously arising from non living matter). This is one of the major issues in this debate. You can not presume it to be fact. (Or even a theory with evidence. The evidence is we have life on earth. We have no clue how it began. (Theists like myself will say God did it, but we have no idea of the mechanism.)2. After presuming abiogenesis, Pro then presumes that Europa is “more likely than not to have life in its oceans”. This can not be presumed, it is the point of the debate.I want to state my reasons why I believe we are unlikely to find any life on Europa.1. Lack of solar energy.Europa is too far from the sun to have the amount of solar energy that we believe is needed for life as we know it.One of the top theorists on extraterrestrial life, Christopher F. Chyba1, states that “Jupiter's moon Europa may harbour a subsurface water ocean, but estimates of the available free energy have not been encouraging for supporting life. ” - http://www.nature.com...In response to this some have postulated tidal energy (gravity based) or charged particles accelerated in Jupiter's magnetosphere might provide “enough organic and oxidant molecules to fuel a substantial Europan biosphere”The problem with these attempts to find in these processes a source of energy we might hope would lead to life is that every theory of abiogenesis I have read postulates a highly energetic (lightening, volcanoes, unshielded solar radiation and more) environment. Even those who favor theories of abiogenesis have done their research in highly energetic environments rich in chemical precursors to organic molecules. http://www.nature.com...2. We have no evidence of life on Europa. We have evidence of water, liquid under a solid crust; oxygen and carbon. We believe these to be necessary for life, but we have no proof, or even evidence of life. We have hope. It would be so cool to find life outside earth.PRO states “I have shown that Europa has displayed qualities that indicate that it is favorable for life to form, and there is a means for abiogenisis, compared to the places life has been on this earth, would it be any stranger to find life--even if it was just bacteria or archea--on Europa?” (Spelling error in original)Tet me respond to his closing statement.1. “Europa has displayed qualities that indicate that it is favorable for life to form” We have no knowledge of any process by which life forms from dead matter. How can you say favorable for life to form. This is a guess at best. We don’t know what conditions might cause life to form by natural processes, if any.2. “there is a means for abiogenisis” (spelling error in original) What is the means? On thing most researchers are quite certain of is that there is insufficient solar energy for life as we know it. Even on earth around hydrothermal vents nutrients from “marine snow” (organic matter falling from the ocean above) are a part of the food chain providing complex organic molecules and trace elements.3. “compared to the places life has been on this earth, would it be any stranger to find life--even if it was just bacteria or archea--on Europa?” That is the debate. We know we have life on earth. We know of no other place in the universe with life. We find in Europa a place less hostile to life than say Jupiter, but so far there is no evidence of life on Europa, but it is an intriguing possibility.Thanks to pro for his many references to conditions for life on earth, ands water, carbon and oxygen on Europa. Those were not really the purpose of the debate. The BOP os on Pro to give evidence for life on Europa. He showed that some earth organisms might survive if transported to Europa, but there is no evidence for native life on Europa.