Scientists found that microbes from deep-sea hydrothermal vents can survive in laboratory conditions designed to mimic the ocean beneath Saturn’s moon Enceladus.

The microbes survived highly alkaline water and produced methane by converting hydrogen and carbon dioxide, suggesting Enceladus could potentially support microbial life.

Researchers based the simulated ocean on evidence from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft and the James Webb Space Telescope showing water plumes, a salty underground ocean and possible hydrothermal activity.

Scientists cautioned that the experiment lasted only days and does not show that life actually exists on Enceladus, The Guardian has reported.

A separate study found that ice grains from Enceladus’s plumes could concentrate potential biological material, potentially making future searches for signs of life easier.