Pictured here is icy Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons.(file photo)

   BEIJING, March.10 (Xinhuanet) -- NASA announced today that its Cassini spacecraft has found evidence of liquid water spewing from Yellowstone-like geysers on one of Saturn's moons, rekindling hope in the existence of life outside planet Earth.

    The surprising discovery excited some scientists, who say the Saturn moon, Enceladus, should be added to the short list of places within the solar system most likely to have extraterrestrial life.

    So far we know Earth is the only planet to show signs of life. Critical to this is the presence of liquid water, which scientists consider an essential ingredient for life.

    Recent high-resolution images snapped by NASA's orbiting Cassini confirmed the eruption of icy jets and giant water-vapour plumes from geysers resembling frozen Old Faithfuls at Enceladus's south pole.

     "We have the smoking gun" that proves the existence of water, said Carolyn Porco, a Cassini imaging scientist from the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

     If Enceladus does harbour life, it probably consists of microbes or other primitive organisms capable of living in extreme conditions, scientists say.

     David Morrison, a senior scientist at NASA's Astrobiology Institute, warned against rushing to judgment on whether the tiny moon could support life. Scientists generally agree habitats need several ingredients for life to emerge, including water, a stable heat source and the right chemical recipe.Enditem

    (Agencies)