More Evidence of Lakes on Titan

Via Geekzone.co.nz -

There has been predictions for years about there being lakes on Titan, however as is often the case with these things they have had a hard time proving this. Recently however the European Cassini space craft has been preforming a number of surveys of the infamous moon, and they have a large amount of conclusive evidence that points to there being lakes dotted all over the surface of titan.Among the famous minds that predicted lakes on Titan were Arthur C. Clarke, and Dr. Ben Bova, the latter who actually predicted the lakes would be methane.

The research team who have been studying the data and images gather of titan have identified more than 75 dark patches on the surface of titan.

These are all toward the northern polar region, where temperatures on the surface can reach -179 °C. The lakes, although look the same as those we have on earth, are actually composed of ethane and methane. They are replenished by what substitutes for rain on titan, effectively oxygen, hydrogen and carbon condense and rain down onto the surface, forming channels and underground bores. There is also speculation that suggests there may even be molecules like acetylene, and better yet amino acids and simpler hydrocarbons in the lakes. It is anticipated that more data will become available throughout the next 22 planned flybys scheduled between now and 2008.