Some scientists believe life could be hiding in our own solar system. But how could that be if there are no other planets or moons that mirror the conditions of our utopic blue dot? After all, Earth has a stable rotation, the perfect cocktail of atmospheric gases, and crucially, a strong magnetic field that keeps solar radiation from completely frying us. Turns out, new research suggests that conditions we humans would consider far-from-perfect may actually power interstellar life, meaning the search for extraterrestrials just got a whole lot bigger—and scientists might have already seen success.

A paper published in the International Journal of Astrobiology this past July suggests that high-energy particle clusters, called galactic cosmic rays, that fly through space could sustain life on extraterrestrial worlds. These rays emit radiation that can trigger chemical reactions—a process known as radiolysis—which in turn causes molecules to break down and release byproducts that may serve as fuel for living things.

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The research team focused on three worlds: Mars as well as two of Jupiter and Saturn’s respective moons, Europa and Enceladus. To understand how many theoretical cells galactic cosmic rays could support, the team simulated cosmic rays breaking down water molecules at different depths on each world. In their analysis, they specifically studied the production of electrons, which are key players in energy production for all living things.

The team modeled the simulation after our current understanding of extremophiles, a type of organism on Earth which thrive in extreme environments. For instance, scientists understand that a bacterium called Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator gets energy from “eating” the radioactive decay of uranium. On Earth, some of these radiation-resistant extremophiles hide underground to avoid the brunt of the radiation—like how humans would hide away in a fallout shelter—which is why researchers tested on subsurface conditions.

The study showed that Enceldus’ conditions hold the most promise for sustaining life. The research team predicts that the moon is capable of supporting as many as 42,900 cells per cubic centimeter at a depth of two feet, Mars can support 11,600 cells at just over half a meter below the surface, and Europa can support 4,200 cells at one meter deep.

The theoretical life on these worlds would be neither walking, talking green aliens nor a flourishing ecosystem. Instead, we would likely see early forms of life, like microbes, because there is just enough energy to keep basic organisms afloat. Still, life has to start somewhere. Moreover, the possibility that radiation is sustaining extraterrestrial life is exciting for researchers because it “expands our search, the potential where life can exist,” Dimitra Atri, PhD, co-author of the paper, tells Science News.

Worlds that we would have otherwise thought uninhabitable—either because they did not lie within their star’s habitable zone, or because they didn’t orbit a star at all—could now be viable places to search for life. And scientists may have already seen the fruits of their labor when it comes to looking elsewhere in the cosmos. Published in the journal Nature Astronomy this October, another recent study found organic compounds in ice samples from Enceladus’ frozen surface, renewing hope that the moon’s oceans hold life.

During a close fly-by in 2008, Enceladus ejected the ice fragments from its surface, and Cassini, an unmanned spacecraft, collected them for analysis. The team’s analysis revealed that Enceladus is emitting more carbon-based substances than previously thought, meaning life isn’t necessarily there, but the ingredients for it certainly are.

“I really like Enceladus because it has all the conditions that are at the same place at the time for life to evolve and to thrive,” Caroline Freissinet, PhD, astrobiologist with the French Center for Scientific Research, tells The Guardian.

However, astrobiologists who are excited about the recent findings on Enceladus point toward hydrothermal vents, rather than Atri’s radiation theory, as the driving energy source for life on the moon. Still, finding cells elsewhere in our solar system would prove something revolutionary: life isn’t just a random, one-time occurrence—it’s likely all across the universe.

Emma Frederickson graduated from Pace University where she studied communication and media. Prior to her time as an editor, she was a freelance science reporter. She enjoys covering everything from shipwrecks to pimple popping, but her favorite topics include climate change, conspiracy theories, and weird biology. When she’s not writing, Emma can be found hopping between coffee shops on the hunt for the world’s best oat milk cappuccino.