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In Search for a Planet Better than Earth: Top Contenders for a Superhabitable World
Dirk Schulze-Makuch1,2,3,4, René Heller5,6, Edward Guinan7
1Astrobiology Group, Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Astrobiology
|September 21, 2020
Summary
Scientists explored the possibility of "superhabitable" planets, which could be even more life-friendly than Earth. Focusing the search for extraterrestrial life on these planets may yield better results than searching for Earth-like exoplanets.
Area of Science:
- Astrobiology
- Exoplanetary Science
Background:
- Earth's abundance of life prompts questions about potential extraterrestrial habitats.
- Focusing solely on Earth-like planets may overlook more optimal environments for life, reflecting anthropocentric bias.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify astrophysical parameters and their optimal ranges for "superhabitable" planets.
- To investigate conditions that could make exoplanets more suitable for life than Earth.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of astrophysical parameter space in star-planet systems.
- Consideration of Earth's habitability throughout its natural history.
- Screening of known exoplanets based on identified superhabitability criteria.
Main Results:
- Identified potential parameters for superhabitable planets.
- Distilled a list of 24 exoplanet candidates for superhabitability.
- Argued that superhabitable planets may be higher priority targets for exoplanet research.
Conclusions:
- Superhabitable planets, potentially more life-friendly than Earth, exist within our galaxy.
- Prioritizing the search for superhabitable exoplanets could enhance the effectiveness of discovering extraterrestrial life.
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