Messenger probe in orbit around Mercury

[Neil]

Liquid water and energy provided due to the tidal stresses of orbiting Jupiter. Same as the deep sea vents at the bottom of the sea.

But not exactly.  There's the cold and the radiation to contend with.

The miles of ice will protect them from the radiation. Tidal stress keeps it warm enough to be liquid, don't see the problem there.

Liquid is still cold, and Jupiter's radiation belts are very powerful.  It's not impossible, but it's not the sure thing you wish it was.  And in any event, it isn't more important than the exploration of Mercury.

[Neil]

Meh, even if there is life under there, it would probably just be invertebrates and single-celled organisms. 
The primitive lifeforms we bring back to study would probably wipe us out with some nasty alien virus.  And if there were some kind of fish, it would far too expensive for Caliga to transport his boat there.

Recovering foreign organism, esepecially complex multicellular ones would be an incredible boon for the biological sciences even if they were limited to invertebrates.

Any diseases they had would be extremely unlikely to be adapted to attacking Earth life.

Except we're not talking about recovering it, and neither is anyone serious.

[Tonitrus]

Meh, even if there is life under there, it would probably just be invertebrates and single-celled organisms. 
The primitive lifeforms we bring back to study would probably wipe us out with some nasty alien virus.  And if there were some kind of fish, it would far too expensive for Caliga to transport his boat there.

Recovering foreign organism, esepecially complex multicellular ones would be an incredible boon for the biological sciences even if they were limited to invertebrates.

Any diseases they had would be extremely unlikely to be adapted to attacking Earth life.

Well damn, I guess smallpox wasn't adapted to attacking Native Americans...they must have been smothered by those blankets.

And yes, I know Native Americans aren't aliens, but the idea that alien diseases could have no effect on humans seems preposterous.  There is no way anyone could possibly know. 

[ulmont]

I fully support recovering Darryl Hannah from Europa!

[The Brain]

Who will carry the battle standard of Xerxes to the heart of Europa?

[Darth Wagtaros]

I fully support recovering Darryl Hannah from Europa!

Speak for yourself.

Europa is a icehole.  Let's get on with the more serious and realistic business of colonizing the moon.

[Razgovory]

Europa's ocean is well known, and every where on Earth where there is liquid water there is life. Earth isn't special. If something occurs on Earth, then given the same circumstances it will occur elsewhere.

Incorrect.  It is suspected.   There may be an ocean there.  There may not be.  It's also possible that the ocean only exists at certain times of the year.  There is no reason to believe that Earth is not special.

[Martinus]

Why?  Isn't Pluto just gonna look like the moon (or maybe a big iceball)?

Definitely a big iceball. With temperatures that would melt lead it's almost certain. 

[Razgovory]

Why?  Isn't Pluto just gonna look like the moon (or maybe a big iceball)?

Definitely a big iceball. With temperatures that would melt lead it's almost certain. 

Ah, Marty...  Oh never mind.

[jimmy olsen]

Why?  Isn't Pluto just gonna look like the moon (or maybe a big iceball)?

Definitely a big iceball. With temperatures that would melt lead it's almost certain. 

You're thinking Mercury, not Pluto.

[Martinus]

Why?  Isn't Pluto just gonna look like the moon (or maybe a big iceball)?

Definitely a big iceball. With temperatures that would melt lead it's almost certain. 

You're thinking Mercury, not Pluto.

Oops. For some reason I thought he was talking about Mercury. Probably because I was drunk when I posted that.