This Solar System Moon Has More Water Than Earth (A Lot More)
Nearly eight times as much
Earth is known for its water. Over 70% of the planet’s surface is covered in saltwater oceans. However, the Earth is also known for numerous freshwater lakes, large underground aquifers, and sizable glaciers. The amount of water and the different types of water on Earth are among the biggest reasons that scientists believe that Earth can host life. Many people believe that Earth is unique in the amount of water found, but that is actually not the case. There is one body lurking in the solar system that has more water than Earth. A lot more water than Earth.
Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system and it orbits our largest planet Jupiter. Ganymede is larger than both Mercury and Pluto and considerably larger than our moon. At first glance, it does not look like Ganymede is home to any water at all. In fact, if you didn’t know any better, Ganymede doesn’t look much different than our own moon. It has a grey barren surface, no polar ice caps, and no distinguishing features. However, just beneath the surface, water exists in abundance. Like Earth, Ganymede holds numerous different types of water. Under the moon’s crust lies a sandwich of water that includes salt water, freshwater, and ice.
