Could there be life beyond Earth?

Every year, NASA usually makes a pool of those new discovered planets that are prone to harbor any form of life.Our craving for the search for habitable planets is a constant of space exploration, and a curiosity inherent in the human condition, that is why in Science Daily Online we have decided to bring you a list of some of the planets that, according to NASA, are susceptible to having microorganisms or having had life in preterite times.

100 million habitable planets?

Recently, all alarms went off when Christopher McKay of NASA gave the amazing news that the latest data collected by the Kepler satellite revealed that there could be around 100 million of habitable planets alone in our galaxy .According to McKay, hopes are placed on the microorganisms , which has been proven, can live in extreme conditions, both below the freezing point and above the boiling point.for McKay-“it makes no sense to discard a planet just because of its high or low temperatures.”

There is, therefore, that define again threshold under which a planet is considered or not habitable.The novelty of McKay's study derives from the fact that it discards from the equation to consider a habitable planet variables that, until now, had been untouchable, such as the amount of water available or It seems that it is widely demonstrated that there are algae that can survive within solid rocks, where water is very scarce or oceanic creatures that do not need eyes since they do not receive any type of sunlight.

Could there be life beyond Earth?

Quote from« Interstellar »(2014), directed by Christopher Nolan

Earlier this year, a study by the University of Aberdeen echoed the fact that perhaps previous works have overestimated the variable “distance to the nearest star” as essential for life to exist.According to Sean McMahon, author of the study “that theory-referring to the traditional theory to define an area of habitability-does not take into account that life can exist under the surface of a planet.”

Changes in the list of habitable planets

Thus, it has been proposed repeatedly a change in the two lists that NASA published in 2011 about those planets that have Earth-like conditions .To prepare these lists, the SETI institute for intelligent life search , proposed two variables as essential : the so-called Earth Similarity Index and that of Planetary Habitability. The latter is the index that is most criticized for the high weighting given to variables such as distance to the nearest star or the possibility of water existence-in a liquid or solid state-on the planet.

Thus, we already know a little better how the Planetary Habitability Index works, but what about the index of similarity with the Earth ? Very simple, it is a model that gives intermediate scores between 0 and 1 according to the degree of similarity of a planet with the Earth, being 1 the degree of similarity closest to Earth and 0 the least.Well, using this index you He has estimated that the planets most likely to harbor life are (in this order):

1.Exoplanet Gliese 581g

Discovered in 2010 and 20 light years from Earth is this mysterious planet, which has a mass 3 times greater than the Earth and is within the strip that defines the habitability index as susceptible to being habitable.

Could there be life beyond Earth?

Gliese 581 g

However, we must point out that the fact that it has a high Index of Similarity to Earth actually no means that it is a good planet to live , since there are many other variables that are not taken into account (presence of poisonous atmospheric gases , dysfunctional gravity...).

2.and 3.Gliese 581d and 581c

Without much imagination for names, scientists have estimated that these two "extrasolar neighbors" of the Gliese Star are placed in our ranking as the 2nd and 3rd planets with the greatest possibility of harboring life.

Could there be life beyond Earth?

Gliese 581 d

We repeat again, in reality they could be a sulfur hell in which life was worth little, the only thing measured here is the possibility that there are two things: water in a liquid state and an atmosphere.The distance to its star makes these two planets perfect candidates.

4.Mars

Index of similarity with the Earth of 0.7.

5.Mercury

Index of similarity with the Earth of 0.6.

6 The exoplanet 69830D

It is the furthest planet from its Planetary System.It orbits its orange dwarf every 197 days and surely would not be a place to live , since its massive size (similar to that of Neptune) invites us to think that it is a gaseous planet without a solid surface.

7.55 Cancri C

Located in the Constellation of Cancer, We can already guess by its name that it occupies the third orbital position around its Star: the 55 Cancri.Until now, 5 planets have been discovered orbiting around this Star at a distance of 40.9 light years of the Earth.

Could there be life beyond Earth?

55 Cancri

Of course, there are other scientists who believe it would be much better to use the Indi ce of Habitability to classify these planets.Needless to say, that list exists, but the positions change with respect to the Earth Similarity Index.

It seems clear that the trend in the next few years it consists of relaxing the variables a bit , so that more planets will be included in the Habitability Zone, however, to see if something moves up there it seems We'll have to wait.Meanwhile, we'll settle for trying to understand those who breathe down here.

If you liked this article, you might be interested in discovering great mysteries of the universe.

Images: Bill Lile, Gerard Stolk, Rik Panganiban, Forsetius.

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