Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Re-Imagining Habitable Planets To Expand Our Search For Life

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


John P. Millis, Ph.D. for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online

The Holy Grail in the search for planets outside our solar system is finding one that could potentially support life. Traditionally, this means finding a planet with features similar to Earth, which is just the right distance from its host star that liquid water could be supported on the surface.

Scientists believe that the presence of liquid water on the surface is a necessary component for the proliferation of life. And a planet like Earth is able to maintain its oceans of water because of the heat derived from our Sun.

A New Vision For Habitable Worlds

But theoretical physicist Sara Seager from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology argues that perhaps we are being too restrictive on what habitable planets could possibly look like, according to National Geographic Magazine‘s Marc Kaufman. Specifically, we look to stars to provide the warmth necessary for life, but the truth is that even our home world is more complex than that. Heat that arrives on our planet warms the surface, and is re-radiated toward the atmosphere. Then greenhouse gases trap some of that heat, sustaining the temperatures that we have come to expect.

Seager argues that other worlds could sustain liquid water, even if they were farther from their host star – outside of the traditional habitable zone. These planets would simply require excess greenhouse gases, such as hydrogen, in their atmospheres to maintain high enough temperatures.

Seager told Kaufman, “What primarily controls surface temperature is the greenhouse effect, what types of gases are in the atmosphere, and how massive a planet’s atmosphere is. That’s what we really have to understand.”

The goal should be to find a planet with the right balance of atmospheric gases, atmospheric moisture – the most powerful greenhouse agent – and distance from its star. If we approached searching for habitable worlds with these criteria in mind, we may find a wealth of such planets. As it is, we have struggled to find worlds that meet our current, narrow criteria for habitability.

She further suggests that life could potentially exist on worlds that orbit no star at all. If these so-called Orphan Planets had sufficient radioactive decay beneath their surface, they could potentially maintain a high enough temperature for liquid water to exist.

Challenges Ahead

The key to this new approach would be to image the atmospheres of these planets, searching for certain chemical markers that would indicate either the presence of life – elements like oxygen are believed to be signs of life, since they would otherwise be bound up in other compounds if they were not continually being replenished by life on the surface – or at the very least the potential for it to exist.

However, the task of analyzing planetary atmospheres is beyond our capabilities in most cases with current technology. And most proposed projects that would allow such measurements are simply too high cost to receive funding.

Two projects set to launch later this decade, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the James Webb Space Telescope, will work together to investigate planetary atmospheres around cooler M class stars. These include some of our nearest neighbors in the galactic neighborhood. While our ability would still be limited to the nearest systems, we could finally begin to probe worlds outside the usual habitable zone.

It may take some time, but “the field of exoplanet characterization is on track to understand habitability and to find habitable worlds.”

redOrbit.com
offers Science, Space, Technology, Health news, videos, images and
reference information. For the latest science news, space news,
technology news, health news visit redOrbit.com frequently. Learn
something new every day.\”


Source: http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1112838155/hunt-for-exoplanets-should-be-expanded-050413/


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.


LION'S MANE PRODUCT


Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules


Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.



Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.


Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    Total 1 comment
    • Minobsmasivfski

      Am just watchin 300 , must have bin prety warm , very rarely does it get that warm here in the yuk that you could walk about in your skidies ey

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.