Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 13, 2026

Compost Microcosms as Microbially Diverse, Natural-like Environments for Microbiome Research in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: September 13, 2022
Why Hart found narrow ecospheres--a minor science mystery solved
1Unaffiliated, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Aims:
To explain why two NASA computer simulation studies in the 1970s (Hart, 1978 , 1979 ) briefly rocked the subfield of astrobiology and SETI studies by showing very narrow habitable zones (HZs) for solar-type stars. Although other studies later supported wider HZs, it was never clear why the Hart simulations found the narrow limits they did.
Results:
Investigation of the state of climate studies and radiative transfer models in the period 1960-1970 provides a likely explanation.
Conclusion:
Hart's findings were in line with earlier results, preventing him from noticing that his radiation model was inadequate.
Related Concept Videos
Ecological Niches
What is an Ecosystem?
Microenvironments
Deep Sea Microbial Ecology
Conservation of Small Populations
Limits to Natural Selection

