New class of habitable exoplanets represent a big step forward in the search for life

Not all potentially habitable planets in the universe are similar to Earth. Hycean planets are somewhat larger ocean-covered planets with hydrogen-rich atmospheres. They are among the thousands of “mini-Neptunes” that exist outside our Solar System. When trying to gauge whether a Hycean planet could support life, researchers look for specific biomarkers, such as oxygen, methane and methyl chloride. Scientists have identified a number of potential Hycean worlds that may be further examined with the James Webb Space Telescope when it is launched.

Key Takeaways:

• We have a new classification of habitable planets called Hycean
• Hyceans are hotter than Earth, but they have the possibility of having large oceans.
• With these types of planets, they are out of the goldilocks zone.

“Thousands of planets outside our Solar System have been discovered since the first exoplanet was identified nearly 30 years ago.”

Read more: https://scienceblog.com/524993/new-class-of-habitable-exoplanets-represent-a-big-step-forward-in-the-search-for-life/

References:

• Science Blog (Website)
• Cosmoknowledge (YouTube Channel)