Titan's "Rain"...

Da "NASA - Picture of the Day" del 2 Agosto 2006:"Might it rain cold methane on Saturn's Titan? Recent analyses of measurements taken by the Huygen's probe that landed on Titan in 2005, January, indicate that the atmosphere is actually saturated with methane at a height of about 8 Km. Combined with observations of a damp surface and lakes near the Poles, some astrobiologists conclude that at least a methane drizzle is common on parts of Titan. Other astrobiologists reported computer models of the clouded moon that indicate that violent methane storms might even occur, complete with flash floods carving channels in the landscape. The later scenario is depicted in the above drawing of Titan. Lighting, as also depicted above, might well exist on Titan but has not been proven. The findings increase speculation that a wet Titanian surface might be hospitable to unusual forms of life".

Attenzione all'ultima frase: "Queste scoperte fanno crescere (la validità) di una ipotesi speculativa secondo cui la superficie di Titano, laddove effettivamente umida, potrebbe essere idonea ad ospitare "inusuali" forme di Vita".
Il significato e la portata di questa frase sono evidenti e di valore storico, ma c'è una domanda che ci incuriosisce e, in fondo, un pò ci turba: cosa intende la NASA quando parla di "unusual life forms"?...