Subasakthi Vaishnavi

The dwarf planet Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, may once have had conditions suitable for microbial life, according to new research in Science Advances (Aug 20). Using thermal and chemical models, scientists found that around 2.5–4 billion years ago, radioactive decay heated Ceres’ interior, creating a subsurface ocean with hot water and dissolved gases. This hydrothermal activity resembles Earth’s deep-sea vents, which sustain microbial life through chemical energy. Previous evidence had already shown water ice, organic molecules, and salt deposits on Ceres, but this study adds the missing piece—a source of chemical energy. While no proof of life exists, the findings suggest that Ceres once offered the “food” microbes would need to survive, making it more habitable in its distant past.