Europa.
Europa.

The icy moon of Jupiter.
The icy moon of Jupiter.

A frigid world that would turn you
A frigid world that would turn you

into an astronaut popsicle.
into an astronaut popsicle.

And an atmosphere
And an atmosphere

that would take your breath away.
that would take your breath away.

Literally.
Literally.

Because Europa's atmosphere
Because Europa's atmosphere

is so thin, it's almost nonexistent.
is so thin, it's almost nonexistent.

And while it's mostly
And while it's mostly

made up of oxygen,
made up of oxygen,

this oxygen
this oxygen

isn't breathable for you.
isn't breathable for you.

You just wouldn't
You just wouldn't

be able to inhale it
be able to inhale it

in this extremely low
in this extremely low

pressure environment.
pressure environment.

And this frozen world
And this frozen world

has a dark secret.
has a dark secret.

Deep under its thick crust of ice,
Deep under its thick crust of ice,

it might just hide life.
it might just hide life.

That's why
That's why

we're sending a member of our team
we're sending a member of our team

on a mission to explore Europa
on a mission to explore Europa

and find out
and find out

if anything can survive
if anything can survive

in this unforgiving environment.
in this unforgiving environment.

Chase, we need you on this
Chase, we need you on this

one-way trip to Jupiter's neighborhood.
one-way trip to Jupiter's neighborhood.

Mission Control,
Mission Control,

this is Chase.
this is Chase.

Orbiting Europa
Orbiting Europa

and ready for landing.
and ready for landing.

Did you know it would actually
Did you know it would actually

take you, like,
take you, like,

six years to get here from Earth?
six years to get here from Earth?

But luckily, I'm already here.
But luckily, I'm already here.

And I love finding
And I love finding

new alien buddies,
new alien buddies,

when they're not trying to kill me.
when they're not trying to kill me.

All right, Chase.
All right, Chase.

Initiate the landing sequence.
Initiate the landing sequence.

Already on it.
Already on it.

RICO, start the landing sequence,
RICO, start the landing sequence,

I totally forgot.
I totally forgot.

Landing sequence initiated.
Landing sequence initiated.

500 m (1,640 ft) and descending.
500 m (1,640 ft) and descending.

400 m (1,300 ft).
400 m (1,300 ft).

100 m (330 ft).
100 m (330 ft).

Touchdown confirmed.
Touchdown confirmed.

Oh, that's right.
Oh, that's right.

It's bright.
It's bright.

Oh, my eyeballs.
Oh, my eyeballs.

That's strange.
That's strange.

Europa is five times
Europa is five times

farther from the Sun than Earth,
farther from the Sun than Earth,

and gets much less sunlight
and gets much less sunlight

than we do.
than we do.

It must be so bright
It must be so bright

because of Europa's icy surface.
because of Europa's icy surface.

All that ice is highly reflective.
All that ice is highly reflective.

That, plus an almost absent
That, plus an almost absent

atmosphere,
atmosphere,

could make the light
could make the light

feel very harsh.
feel very harsh.

So just use
So just use

the protective tinted visor
the protective tinted visor

and your eyes will be fine.
and your eyes will be fine.

Chase, what's your status?
Chase, what's your status?

Yeah, I'd say
Yeah, I'd say

Europa is pretty similar to Earth.
Europa is pretty similar to Earth.

If Earth had no atmosphere,
If Earth had no atmosphere,

was covered in ice
was covered in ice

and had absolutely
and had absolutely

no interesting oceans to see.
no interesting oceans to see.

So in short, it sucks,
So in short, it sucks,

What If guy.
What If guy.

I'm freezing out here.
I'm freezing out here.

Yeah,
Yeah,

you'd need an advanced
you'd need an advanced

thermal insulation layer
thermal insulation layer

in your suit to keep you warm.
in your suit to keep you warm.

The surface temperature on Europa
The surface temperature on Europa

is about -145 °C (-230 °F).
is about -145 °C (-230 °F).

And it can get as cold as -220 °C (-364 °F).
And it can get as cold as -220 °C (-364 °F).

It's also bathed in radiation.
It's also bathed in radiation.

That's because Europa orbits
That's because Europa orbits

so close to Jupiter.
so close to Jupiter.

And Jupiter has a massive
And Jupiter has a massive

magnetic field
magnetic field

that traps a lot of high-energy
that traps a lot of high-energy

particles inside it.
particles inside it.

Your spacesuit
Your spacesuit

would need to be able
would need to be able

to withstand that too.
to withstand that too.

Great.
Great.

Europa is one of the four
Europa is one of the four

largest moons of Jupiter.
largest moons of Jupiter.

It's still slightly
It's still slightly

smaller than our Moon,
smaller than our Moon,

but it's a lot more exciting.
but it's a lot more exciting.

Mainly because
Mainly because

it has the potential to host life.
it has the potential to host life.

Looks pretty lifeless,
Looks pretty lifeless,

if you ask me.
if you ask me.

Well, it is, on the surface.
Well, it is, on the surface.

Look, life needs three ingredients
Look, life needs three ingredients

to exist on any world.
to exist on any world.

The first one is liquid water.
The first one is liquid water.

Well, Europa has plenty of that.
Well, Europa has plenty of that.

NASA's Galileo spacecraft,
NASA's Galileo spacecraft,

which spent
which spent

eight years orbiting Jupiter,
eight years orbiting Jupiter,

gathered some data on Europa, too.
gathered some data on Europa, too.

And that data
And that data

led scientists to believe
led scientists to believe

that this moon
that this moon

has twice as much water
has twice as much water

as all of Earth's oceans.
as all of Earth's oceans.

Well, I regret to report
Well, I regret to report

that your scientists’ data is wrong.
that your scientists’ data is wrong.

I don't see no water, only ice.
I don't see no water, only ice.

This mission
This mission

is a waste of my precious time.
is a waste of my precious time.

No, no, no, it isn't.
No, no, no, it isn't.

You don't see them
You don't see them

because these enormous oceans
because these enormous oceans

aren't on the surface.
aren't on the surface.

They're deep below
They're deep below

Europa's thick, icy crust.
Europa's thick, icy crust.

That brings us to another
That brings us to another

ingredient for life.
ingredient for life.

Energy.
Energy.

On Earth, life
On Earth, life

mostly gets energy from the Sun.
mostly gets energy from the Sun.

But that's not the case on Europa.
But that's not the case on Europa.

First of all,
First of all,

because Europa is so far away
because Europa is so far away

from the Sun.
from the Sun.

And secondly,
And secondly,

because if there is life on Europa,
because if there is life on Europa,

it's likely we'd find it
it's likely we'd find it

under the ice where there's
under the ice where there's

no sunlight at all.
no sunlight at all.

Europa gets its energy
Europa gets its energy

from the effects of tidal heating.
from the effects of tidal heating.

And it has Jupiter
And it has Jupiter

to thank for that.
to thank for that.

Yeah,
Yeah,

the enormous gravity
the enormous gravity

of the Solar System's
of the Solar System's

biggest planet is constantly
biggest planet is constantly

pulling on Europa,
pulling on Europa,

bulging and cracking its ice.
bulging and cracking its ice.

This causes friction,
This causes friction,

and the friction heats
and the friction heats

this moon from the inside.
this moon from the inside.

That's why Europa's subsurface
That's why Europa's subsurface

ocean doesn't freeze over
ocean doesn't freeze over

like the rest of this frigid world.
like the rest of this frigid world.

Europa might also have
Europa might also have

hydrothermal vents
hydrothermal vents

on its ocean floor,
on its ocean floor,

just like Earth does.
just like Earth does.

These vents
These vents

spew out heat, energy
spew out heat, energy

and chemicals,
and chemicals,

potentially creating a habitable
potentially creating a habitable

environment around them.
environment around them.

The last ingredient for life
The last ingredient for life

is chemical elements.
is chemical elements.

Most living
Most living

things are made up of stuff
things are made up of stuff

like carbon, hydrogen,
like carbon, hydrogen,

nitrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen, oxygen,

phosphorus and sulfur.
phosphorus and sulfur.

And based on the data
And based on the data

we collected about Europa,
we collected about Europa,

this moon's got all that.
this moon's got all that.

But of course,
But of course,

no one has ever been on Europa
no one has ever been on Europa

to confirm this.
to confirm this.

Until now.
Until now.

And what's that?
And what's that?

Yeah, those are Europa's
Yeah, those are Europa's

famous cryovolcanoes.
famous cryovolcanoes.

These volcanoes
These volcanoes

don't erupt with lava,
don't erupt with lava,

but with water and ice.
but with water and ice.

Ice volcanoes?
Ice volcanoes?

That’s sick! Oh my god.
That’s sick! Oh my god.

Okay, okay.
Okay, okay.

So how do you suggest
So how do you suggest

I find life here?
I find life here?

This ice looks thick.
This ice looks thick.

Yeah, you'd have to drill through it.
Yeah, you'd have to drill through it.

And you'd need special equipment.
And you'd need special equipment.

Like a high-performance drill
Like a high-performance drill

drill designed for extreme cold,
drill designed for extreme cold,

electrically powered
electrically powered

by a portable nuclear generator,
by a portable nuclear generator,

lightweight with a heating mechanism
lightweight with a heating mechanism

and a sample retrieval system.
and a sample retrieval system.

Right, great.
Right, great.

So just like the everyday stuff
So just like the everyday stuff

that you would just happen
that you would just happen

to carry around with you
to carry around with you

on your spaceship.
on your spaceship.

No, I'm serious.
No, I'm serious.

I happen to
I happen to

have that on my spaceship.
have that on my spaceship.

I have the best
I have the best

drill in the Universe.
drill in the Universe.

I'm so excited to meet
I'm so excited to meet

who's down here.
who's down here.

Hold on.
Hold on.

The chances
The chances

of seeing any kind of life
of seeing any kind of life

with your own eyes are slim.
with your own eyes are slim.

Because that life,
Because that life,

if it exists, is likely microscopic.
if it exists, is likely microscopic.

But if you get a sample
But if you get a sample

of that salty water, well,
of that salty water, well,

you can examine it
you can examine it

and maybe find traces
and maybe find traces

of microorganisms.
of microorganisms.

Eh, that's not
Eh, that's not

how I pictured this mission.
how I pictured this mission.

But since we're here,
But since we're here,

let's do this.
let's do this.

While you can't improve the odds
While you can't improve the odds

of seeing aliens on Europa,
of seeing aliens on Europa,

you can increase your opportunity
you can increase your opportunity

of seeing more of Chase's
of seeing more of Chase's

epic adventures on What If.
epic adventures on What If.

We've already traveled with him
We've already traveled with him

to Titan, Venus, even Uranus.
to Titan, Venus, even Uranus.

And there's so much more
And there's so much more

we want to show you.
we want to show you.

That's why we launched our
That's why we launched our

What If Explorers Club on Patreon.
What If Explorers Club on Patreon.

That's where we’ll give you
That's where we’ll give you

the top secret behind the scenes,
the top secret behind the scenes,

extended director's cuts,
extended director's cuts,

mind-blowing art,
mind-blowing art,

epic merch discounts
epic merch discounts

and our endless love and gratitude.
and our endless love and gratitude.

Support us on Patreon to get
Support us on Patreon to get

exclusive content
exclusive content

and help us send Chase to his death.
and help us send Chase to his death.

Over, and over, and over again.
Over, and over, and over again.

Hey!
Hey!

I don’t feel so good.
I don’t feel so good.

I think I might puke.
I think I might puke.

Your body temperature is rising.
Your body temperature is rising.

You're experiencing
You're experiencing

the symptoms
the symptoms

of radiation poisoning.
of radiation poisoning.

I did warn you
I did warn you

that radiation levels on Europa
that radiation levels on Europa

are high.
are high.

Even in your spacesuit,
Even in your spacesuit,

you'd still feel headaches,
you'd still feel headaches,

nausea, dizziness,
nausea, dizziness,

all the fun that comes
all the fun that comes

from radiation sickness.
from radiation sickness.

And all that
And all that

after spending only
after spending only

a few hours on this moon.
a few hours on this moon.

If you don't
If you don't

return to your shielded
return to your shielded

spacecraft immediately,
spacecraft immediately,

this exposure will kill you.
this exposure will kill you.

Huh?
Huh?

Oh, no, no, I'm fine.
Oh, no, no, I'm fine.

No, I'm good, RICO.
No, I'm good, RICO.

I just need to lie down
I just need to lie down

for five minutes.
for five minutes.

That's a bad idea.
That's a bad idea.

You need to return the samples
You need to return the samples

to the spaceship.
to the spaceship.

Right, the samples.
Right, the samples.

I have to get the samples...
I have to get the samples...

This is still so sick though.
This is still so sick though.

The impact force
The impact force

from the cryovolcano
from the cryovolcano

has damaged your spacesuit.
has damaged your spacesuit.

You're losing oxygen.
You're losing oxygen.

I should have subscribed
I should have subscribed

to the top tier of What If’s Patreon.
to the top tier of What If’s Patreon.

In the extreme
In the extreme

conditions of Europa,
conditions of Europa,

without the full protection of a suit,
without the full protection of a suit,

you'd only have a few minutes
you'd only have a few minutes

to get to safety.
to get to safety.

In just one minute,
In just one minute,

severe frostbite
severe frostbite

would damage your exposed skin.
would damage your exposed skin.

After two minutes,
After two minutes,

you'd start shivering.
you'd start shivering.

Cue hypothermia.
Cue hypothermia.

Another 10 minutes later,
Another 10 minutes later,

and you'd lose consciousness
and you'd lose consciousness

and freeze to death.
and freeze to death.

Oh, wait.
Oh, wait.

Scratch all that.
Scratch all that.

Looks like Chase's suit
Looks like Chase's suit

lost all the oxygen
lost all the oxygen

and he just suffocated.
and he just suffocated.

Now we'll never know
Now we'll never know

if those samples
if those samples

had any life in them.
had any life in them.

Yeah, we'll have to try
Yeah, we'll have to try

this search for life again.
this search for life again.

Maybe next time
Maybe next time

Chase can set up a base first
Chase can set up a base first

before going out there
before going out there

and exploring things.
and exploring things.

But that's a story
But that's a story

for another
for another

WHAT IF.
WHAT IF.