What if Europa&rsquo;s seafloor isn&rsquo;t alive with activity after all? This week on Planetary Radio, host and producer Sarah Al-Ahmed explores new research that reframes how scientists think about one of the Solar System&rsquo;s most intriguing ocean worlds. Sarah is joined by Paul Byrne, associate professor of earth, environmental, and planetary sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Paul is the lead author of a new study suggesting that the seafloor beneath Europa&rsquo;s global ocean may be geologically quiet today, potentially lacking the hydrothermal activity often associated with habitable environments on Earth. Together, they discuss how scientists investigate places we can&rsquo;t yet observe directly and why Europa remains a compelling world to explore regardless of what we find. Then, Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, joins us for What&rsquo;s Up to explain why Saturn&rsquo;s moon Enceladus shows strong evidence for active hydrothermal vents beneath its icy crust, offering a fascinating contrast between two ocean worlds. Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-europas-quiet-seafloor">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-europas-quiet-seafloor</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

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Europa’s quiet seafloor

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