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Will any conclusive evidence for extraterrestrial life, past or present, be discovered within our Solar System by 2050?

Biden NASA

Adam Frank

Emily Gilbert

Larissa Palethorpe

Ingo Waldmann

Andrew Fraknoi

Amaury Triaud

Hiroyuki Tako Ishikawa

Keming Zhang

Dirk Schulze-Makuch

Arwen E Nicholson

"There is no planet B [habitable to human beings]."

"I would never say we can never reach the stars and possible habitable planets."

"The discovery of Gliese 12 b is a stepping stone towards finding potentially habitable planets."

The discovery of several smaller and cooler stars is "the best bet for finding habitable planets."

"[W]e're more likely to detect planets in the habitable zone with TESS [NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite]."

Will We Find Another Inhabitable Planet?

Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable planet candidate named HD 137010 b, located approximately 146 to 150 light-years from Earth. The planet is estimated to be about 6% larger than Earth and completes an orbit around its sun-like star in roughly 355 days.

Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable planet candidate named HD 137010 b, located approximately 146 to 150 light-years from Earth. The planet is estimated to be about 6% larger than Earth and completes an orbit around its sun-like star in roughly 355 days.

An international research team led by Dr. Alexander Venner of the University of Southern Queensland identified HD 137010 b using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope's extended K2 mission, captured in 2017. The faint signal was initially flagged by participants in a citizen science project.

An international research team led by Dr. Alexander Venner of the University of Southern Queensland identified HD 137010 b using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope's extended K2 mission, captured in 2017. The faint signal was initially flagged by participants in a citizen science project.

Researchers estimate that HD 137010 b has approximately a 40% to 51% chance of residing within the habitable zone of its host star, where liquid water could potentially exist. The planet's surface temperature is estimated to be below -70 degrees Celsius, similar to Mars.

Researchers estimate that HD 137010 b has approximately a 40% to 51% chance of residing within the habitable zone of its host star, where liquid water could potentially exist. The planet's surface temperature is estimated to be below -70 degrees Celsius, similar to Mars.

The star that HD 137010 b orbits is cooler and dimmer than our sun, meaning the planet receives about 70% less light than Earth. Despite the likely frigid conditions, its relative proximity makes it a prime target for next-generation observatories.

The star that HD 137010 b orbits is cooler and dimmer than our sun, meaning the planet receives about 70% less light than Earth. Despite the likely frigid conditions, its relative proximity makes it a prime target for next-generation observatories.

HD 137010 b is referred to as a planet candidate because it requires at least one more observation to be confirmed as a planet. The discovery is based on a single transit detection, while the gold standard in planetary science typically requires three detections.

HD 137010 b is referred to as a planet candidate because it requires at least one more observation to be confirmed as a planet. The discovery is based on a single transit detection, while the gold standard in planetary science typically requires three detections.

If confirmed, HD 137010 b would be the only known rocky world in the habitable zone of a sun-like star. Future missions such as NASA's planned Habitable Worlds Observatory may be capable of directly imaging this distant world.

If confirmed, HD 137010 b would be the only known rocky world in the habitable zone of a sun-like star. Future missions such as NASA's planned Habitable Worlds Observatory may be capable of directly imaging this distant world.

Earth-Like Planet Found 150 Light-Years Away May Be Habitable

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