Habitability
White Dwarfs Could Support Life. So Where are All Their Planets?
Astronomers have found plenty of white dwarf stars surrounded by debris disks. Those disks are the remains of planets destroyed…
What’s the Best Way to Find Planets in the Habitable Zone?
Despite the fact that we've discovered thousands of them, exoplanets are hard to find. And some types are harder to…
If Earth is Average, We Should Find Extraterrestrial Life Within 60 Light-Years
A new study estimates that there could be 11,000 habitable planets within 100 parsecs of our Sun, the nearest being…
When did the First Continents Appear in the Universe?
On Earth, continents are likely necessary to support life. Continents 'float' on top of the Earth's viscous mantle, and heat…
Is it Time for a New Definition of “Habitable?”
Things tend to move from the simple to the complex when you're trying to understand something new. This is the…
Forget the Habitable Zone – We Need to Find the Computational Zone
Astronomers are currently searching for signs of life in the "habitable zones" of nearby stars, which is defined as the…
Even the Calmest Red Dwarfs are Wilder than the Sun
There's something menacing about red dwarfs. Human eyes are accustomed to our benevolent yellow Sun and the warm light it…
Do Red Dwarfs Provide Enough Sunlight for Plants to Grow?
A new study has shown the photosynthesis can take place on planets orbiting Red Dwarfs.
Venus is Like an Exoplanet that’s Right Next Door
We're lucky to have a neighbour like Venus, even though it's totally inhospitable, wildly different from the other rocky planets,…
Earth-Sized Planet Found At One of the Lightest Red Dwarfs
Astronomers have found another Earth-sized planet. It's about 31 light-years away and orbits in the habitable zone of a red…