Life on Other Planets Could be far More Widespread, Study Finds

(Phys.org) —Earth-sized planets can support life at least ten times further away from stars than previously thought, according to academics at the University of Aberdeen.

A new paper published in Planetary and Space Science claims cold rocky planets previously considered uninhabitable may actually be able to support life beneath the surface.

The team, which included academics from the University of St Andrews, challenge the traditional ‘habitable zone’ – i.e. the area of space around a star, or sun, which can support life – by taking into consideration life living deep below the ground.

“The traditional habitable zone is also known as the Goldilocks zone,” explains PhD student Sean McMahon. “A planet needs to be not too close to its sun but also not too far away for liquid water to persist, rather than boiling or freezing, on the surface.

Planets previously considered uninhabitable may be able to sustain life according to research from the University of Aberdeen

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Read more here: http://phys.org/news/2014-01-life-planets-widespread.html

Journal reference: Planetary and Space Science 

Provided by University of Aberdeen