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Space

Carbon dioxide gas spotted in atmosphere of Jupiter’s moon Callisto

Carbon dioxide gas found throughout the atmosphere of Callisto hints it has a complex carbon cycle – akin to the one which on Earth helps to sustain life

By Chen Ly

16 February 2024

The surface of Jupiter's moon Callisto is scarred with impact craters

The surface of Jupiter’s moon Callisto is scarred with impact craters, and its atmosphere holds carbon dioxide gas

NASA/JPL/DLR

Astronomers have spotted gaseous carbon dioxide across the atmosphere of Jupiter’s second-largest moon, Callisto, hinting that it might have a much more complex carbon cycle than we thought. On Earth, the carbon cycle helps to sustain a stable climate.

Callisto is one of the solar system’s oldest objects, having formed some 4.5 billion years ago around Jupiter. It is also one of the most battered objects, with a surface blanketed by craters.…

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