Life After the Sun's Death? Icy Moons May Offer a Refuge

New research suggests a slim chance of life persisting in our solar system after the sun becomes a red giant. While Earth will be uninhabitable, Jupiter's icy moons, like Europa, could become surprisingly hospitable. The expanding sun's heat, coupled with increased heat from Jupiter itself, might sublimate Europa's ice, creating a temporary water vapor atmosphere. Researchers predict this atmosphere could last for up to 200 million years in certain regions, potentially providing a refuge for life. This discovery expands our understanding of the solar system's future and the potential for extraterrestrial life, guiding future searches for biosignatures on exomoons using telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope.