Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery of a new Earth-sized planet located 40 light-years away that could potentially support human life.
The planet, named Gliese 12 b, was identified by astronomers at the University of Warwick, utilizing data from NASA satellites. This discovery is significant not only because of the planet’s size and proximity but also due to its potential habitability.
Gliese 12 b boasts an estimated surface temperature of around 42°C (107°F), which makes it one of the few known rocky planets where humans could theoretically survive, provided there were feasible means of transportation. While the exact composition of Gliese 12 b’s atmosphere remains uncertain, scientists have noted that its atmospheric depth is comparable to that of Venus.
In a report published on Thursday, a team comprising researchers from both the UK and the US described Gliese 12 b as “the nearest transiting temperature, Earth-sized planet found to date.”
The report confirmed the planet’s existence and provided key details about its characteristics, such as its size, temperature, distance from Earth, and its orbital period around its star, which is approximately 12.8 days.
“This is a really exciting discovery and will help our research into planets similar to Earth across our Galaxy,” stated Warwick Professor of physicist Thomas Wilson.
“Thrillingly, this planet is the closest Earth-sized and temperature planet we know. The light we are seeing now is from 1984 (40 years ago)—that’s how long it has taken to reach us here on Earth. Planets like Gliese 12 b are very few and far between, so for us to be able to examine one this closely and learn about its atmosphere and temperature is very rare,” he added.
The international team of scientists collaborated with NASA to discover the planet, using data from NASA’s TESS (Transitioning Exoplanet Survey Satellite). Initially, they identified the planet’s star, named Gliese 12, which is a cool red dwarf located in the constellation Pisces.
This star is about one-quarter the size of our Sun and has approximately 60 percent of its surface temperature. The distance between Gliese 12 and the newly discovered planet is a mere 7 percent of the distance between Earth and our Sun, making it an intriguing subject for further study. Gliese 12 b received 1.6 times more energy from its star than Earth does from the Sun, which influences its climate and potential habitability.
“We know of only a handful of systems to date that are both close enough to us and meet other criteria needed for this kind of study, called transmission spectroscopy,” explained Michael McElwain, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and a co-author of the study.
“To better understand the diversity of atmospheres around temperate planets similar to Earth, we need more examples like Gliese 12 b,” he said.
NASA noted in a statement, “One important factor in retaining an atmosphere is the storminess of its star. Red dwarfs tend to be magnetically active, resulting in frequent, powerful X-ray flares,” but both teams concluded that Gliese 12 shows no signs of such extreme behavior. This makes Gliese 12 b a unique candidate for further atmospheric studies, potentially revealing important insights into the habitability of planets.
“This is a unique candidate for further atmospheric study that may help unlock some aspects of our own solar system’s evolution,” said Larissa Palethorpe, co-lead of the study and doctoral student at the University of Edinburgh and University College London.
She explained further, “Earth remains habitable, but Venus does not due to its complete loss of water. Gliese 12 b’s atmosphere could teach us a lot about the habitability pathways planets take as they develop.”
The report emphasizes that the discovery of Gliese 12 b will aid astronomers “find our own place in the Universe.”
“Gliese 12 b also represents one of the best targets to study whether Earth-like planets orbiting cool stars can retain their atmospheres, a crucial step to advance our understanding of habitability on Earth and across the Galaxy.”
“Further analysis of the Gliese 12 system will allow us to understand evolutionary and compositional trends, which is important as we try to infer the number of true-Earth analogues on our journey to understanding our own place in the Universe.”
The discovery of Gliese 12 b is a monumental step forward in the search for habitable planets beyond our solar system. It’s proximity, size, and potential atmospheric characteristics make it a prime candidate for future research, which could unlock secrets about the development and habitability of planets similar to Earth.
This discovery not only enhances our understanding of planetary systems but also brings us closer to answering fundamental questions about life in the Universe.
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