NASA scientists suggest that Uranus’ moons Titania and Oberon may have warm oceans capable of supporting life. This suggests that we should be looking there, too, in our search for extraterrestrial life.

By reanalyzing data from Voyager 2, which flew by Uranus in the 1980s, scientists made their discovery. Using computer models, they examined five of the planet’s largest icy moons for signs of water. Of these, four likely have oceans. NASA researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California revealed that these bodies of water can be so large that they can each be tens of miles deep.

Scientists have determined that the oceans on Titania and Oberon may be warm enough to support extraterrestrial life. “When it comes to small bodies, planets and moons, planetary scientists have previously found evidence of oceans in unlikely places, including the dwarf planets Ceres and Pluto, and Saturn’s moon Mimas,” said Julie Castillo-Rogues of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

With this discovery, NASA scientists hope to advance their models of the European system. This is in preparation for potential future missions to explore the ice world and its moons.