Life beyond Earth: new findings suggest exoplanets orbiting red dwarfs could sustain life
Currently accepted scientific theories suggest that most rocky exoplanets revolving around red dwarfs, the most minor and excellent main sequence stars, are unlikely to foster conditions conducive to life. This theory holds that during a planet's early existence, when its stars were hotter, all the water these planets collected would evaporate into the atmosphere. For Earth-like planets, this atmospheric water would cool, condense, and fall as rain, creating bodies of water and possibly oceans. However, for planets that orbit a red dwarf, this evaporation process could completely escape water from the atmosphere into space, rendering the Earth too dry for known forms of life.
7:11 AM EST, January 21, 2024
Planet formation's sauna phase
A novel theory proposes a different fate for some planets closely orbiting a red dwarf, hinting they might not reach such high temperatures as previously suggested. For instance, planets in the Trappist-1 system could retain water in deeper crust layers during their formation instead of evaporating. Once the earth cools, this trapped water might be released due to volcanic activity.
If this theory holds, any released water could lead to surface bodies of water, giving rise to potential life forms. Furthermore, liquid water is crucial for any human colonization mission to ensure our species' long-term survival during a catastrophic event on Earth.
Overlooking heat radiation
The new theory attributes a planet's lower temperature to thermal radiation, which hadn't been considered in previous theories. The reduction of thermal energy due to the planet's radiation shortens the time the earth is hot enough to melt surface rocks, conserving more crust water.
Scientists maintain that if their theory stands up to rigorous examination, we may need to reconsider some work related to planet formation, including current theories regarding our planetary neighbor, Venus. Some celestial bodies previously dismissed as unsuitable for life might even return to the list of potentially habitable planets.
