Scientists think they've figured out how to tell if a distant planet is habitable for humans
Ali Condon
Featured Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Hero Images Inc./Alamy Stock Photo
Scientists believe they have figured out a new method to find distant planets that could be habitable for humans.
A study published in the Astrophysical Journal this week documented the examination of a planet 40 light years away from Earth, called TRAPPIST-1e.
Researchers found that the planet's atmosphere was similar to Earth's due to its levels of carbon dioxide and extreme weather conditions.
For the first time in history, these two variables, which are 'crucial for the existence of life on other planets' are now being studied in depth, to see if it can help scientists decide which planets could facilitate human life.
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Later this year, TRAPPIST-1e will be documented by the James Webb Space Telescope - a telescope developed as part of the search for Earth-like exo-planets.
Dr Assaf Hochman from the HU Fredy & Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences in Israel said: "The research framework we developed, along with observational data from the Webb Space Telescope, will enable scientists to efficiently assess the atmospheres of many other planets without having to send a space crew to visit them physically.
"This will help us make informed decisions about which planets are good candidates for human settlement and perhaps even to find life on those planets."
Already, researchers have determined that TRAPPIST-1e has a far more sensitive atmosphere than Earth's meaning that greenhouse gases could cause far more extreme climate changes than what we've seen on our planet.
Scientists are eager to continue their search for the most habitable planets for human beings.
Just months ago, NASA sparked excitement when they used the James Webb Space Telescope to seemingly uncover water on a distant planet more than 1,150 light-years away.
The space agency announced back in July that it had found 'clouds on another world', writing on Twitter: "@NASAWebb captured the signature of water on giant gas planet WASP 96-b, which orbits a star 1,150 light-years away.
"For the first time, we've detected evidence of clouds in this exoplanet's atmosphere."
After the discovery, a NASA spokesperson confirmed that: "Exploring exoplanets is now a major component of the mission."
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has also been contributing to the cause - though he's hoping to keep human beings in the same solar system.
The Tesla boss is dead-set on getting human life to Mars, after a rover discovered a 'significant amount of water' on the planet.
In 2021, Musk told the Lex Friedman podcast that he plans to get humans travelling to Mars in at least the next decade.
"Earth’s been around 4 1/2 billion years, and this is the first time in 4 1/2 billion years that it’s been possible to extend life beyond Earth", he said.
"That window of opportunity may be open for a long time, and I hope it is, but it also may be open for a short time. I think it is wise for us to act quickly while the window is open, just in case."
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