Science Advances magazine reported that scientists from the University of Arizona in the United States have discovered that the dwarf planet Ceres once had the necessary conditions to support life.

The magazine noted that astronomers worldwide had believed for decades that Ceres, the smallest dwarf planet in the solar system, was merely a collection of rock and ice. Although it contains water, the source of energy on this planet was unknown.

The recent study conducted by University of Arizona scientists revealed a heat source on this celestial body. The scientists obtained data from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, which discovered spots on the dwarf planet identified as salt deposits.

Using a computer simulation model, the scientists found that between 2.5 and 4 billion years ago, radioactive decay in the rocky core could have generated enough heat to sustain hydrothermal activity on the planet, suggesting that simple microbial life may have existed on Ceres.

The article published by the magazine indicates that the water inside the planet provided a chemical “food” source for microbes that may have lived on Ceres.

According to Samuel Corville, the study leader, the water and energy available deep within Ceres likely provided the necessary conditions for life. The scientist also pointed to the possibility of similar life-supporting conditions on the moons of Uranus and Saturn, which had been considered lifeless for decades.