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Tag: earth-like

  • NASA’s Discovery: TOI 700 Planet, Another Earth-Like World

    NASA’s Discovery: TOI 700 Planet, Another Earth-Like World

    NASA found a planet that’s a lot like Earth. This planet, called TOI 700 Planet, is very far away from Earth, about 100 billion light years. NASA thinks the temperature on TOI 700 Planet is like Earth’s temperature. They also think there might be water there, which is important for research. TOI 700 Planet is about 90% the size of Earth.

    TOI 700 Planet

    It takes TOI 700 Planet 28 days to go around its star. Earth takes 365 days to go around the Sun. Scientists at NASA think finding this planet is a big deal in looking for places like Earth where life could exist. In 2020, scientists found another planet around a star that’s like Earth.

    That star was called TSSS. Scientists say they’ve found a few solar systems that might have planets where life could live. This new planet goes around a cooler star, a dwarf star about the same size as our Sun. NASA will keep studying this new planet to learn more about it.

    NASA’s discovery of TOI 700 Planet is a big step forward in space exploration. It shows that there could be more planets out there that are similar to Earth, which is exciting for scientists. The fact that TOI 700 Planet orbits a cooler star also makes it interesting because it could mean that the conditions there are different from what we’re used to on Earth.

    Studying planets like TOI 700 Planet helps scientists understand more about the universe and whether there could be life beyond our own planet. NASA will continue to study this new planet and others like it to unlock more secrets of the cosmos.

  • New Study Dampens Hope for Earth-Like Planets and Extraterrestrial Life

    New Study Dampens Hope for Earth-Like Planets and Extraterrestrial Life

    Since 1961, scientists have used the Drake equation to estimate the number of advanced alien civilizations in the Milky Way. However, a recent study in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society provides less optimistic findings, focusing on the conditions necessary for photosynthesis.

    Earth-Like Planets

    The study explores the requirements for oxygenic photosynthesis, a process vital for life on Earth. Oxygenic photosynthesis occurs when species combine carbon dioxide, water, and light to produce sugar and release oxygen. The authors investigate if known exoplanets in habitable zones receive enough photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to support life.

    The results reveal challenges in finding suitable real estate in the Milky Way. Stars burning at half the sun’s heat lack the energy necessary for a thriving biosphere. Red dwarf stars, common in the galaxy, provide even less energy for photosynthesis. This poses a challenge in the search for alien life, indicating that Earth-like conditions on other planets might be less common than hoped.

    While very large and bright stars can support photosynthesis, they burn out or explode before advanced life evolves. The study supports the “Rare Earth hypothesis,” suggesting that planets with the right conditions for complex life are relatively scarce in the universe.

    Although the study implies a lower number of planets suitable for life, it doesn’t make the possibility impossibly small. Planets like Kepler-442b, receiving enough solar radiation, offer hope. The search for alien life will continue, but expectations should be tempered.