Tag: habitable worlds
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Sara Seager Returns to Canada to Find Another Earth
A Homecoming for a Pioneer in Exoplanet Science When a scientist dedicates their career to answering one of humanity’s oldest questions—are we alone?—the work often travels with them beyond borders. Yet for Sara Seager, the renowned exoplanet researcher whose work has reshaped our understanding of distant worlds, returning to Canada marks not merely a change…
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Returning Home: Sara Seager’s Quest for New Earths Finds a Canadian Stage
From Global Innovation to a Canadian Homecoming In a field defined by distance—from distant star systems to the equipment that reveals their secrets—Sara Seager is choosing a different kind of voyage: a return to Canada. The renowned exoplanet researcher is stepping back onto Canadian soil to expand her groundbreaking work on identifying habitable worlds beyond…
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Planets Forge Water During Formation Expands Habitability
Water Isn’t Just Delivered: It’s Also Forged For decades, scientists have pondered where Earth’s water came from and whether similar oceans could exist on distant worlds. A growing line of evidence now suggests that water may not be solely delivered to rocky planets after they form. Instead, the very process of planetary formation could forge…
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Could Planets Forge Water During Formation and Boost Habitability?
New Insight: Water May Be Forged During Planet Formation For a long time, scientists have pondered how Earth acquired its precious water. While comets and asteroids have often been blamed as icy couriers delivering water to young planets, emerging research suggests a complementary mechanism: planets might synthesize water themselves as they come into being. If…
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Early Hydrogen-Iron Reactions Could Shape Exoplanet Habitability
Overview: Water Formation on Exoplanets and Habitability Water is a cornerstone of planetary habitability, influencing atmospheres, geology, and potential biosignatures. A recent international study, published in a leading science journal, investigates how early hydrogen–iron reactions could drive the formation of water on exoplanets. By examining the chemistry occurring during the earliest stages of planet formation,…
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How Planets Get Wet: Water Creation During Planet Formation
Introduction: A Wet Start for Planets For years, scientists have wondered how rocky planets acquire their water—whether it is delivered after formation by comets and asteroids, or whether water can emerge in the early molten stages of planet building. Recent work published in Nature by researchers affiliated with Carnegie and other institutions suggests a compelling…
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White Dwarf Engulfs Pluto-Like Icy World, Exoplanet Clues
Discovery: A White Dwarf and an Icy Pluto-Like World Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have identified a white dwarf in the Milky Way that carries chemical traces of having swallowed an icy body similar to Pluto. The star sits about 255 light-years from Earth and weighs roughly 0.57 solar masses. White dwarfs are the…
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6,000 Exoplanets Confirmed: NASA Expands Alien Worlds
A Milestone in Exoplanet Discovery The catalog of planets beyond our solar system has surpassed a remarkable threshold: 6,000 confirmed exoplanets. This milestone, tracked by the NASA-linked Exoplanet Archive and the Caltech IPAC’s NExScI, reflects decades of advances in telescope technology, data analysis, and international collaboration. While the 6,000 mark is not a single planet,…
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NASA Exoplanets: 6,000 Confirmed Worlds Beyond the Sun
Nasa Exoplanet Milestone: 6,000 Confirmed Worlds NASA’s exoplanet catalog has crossed a key threshold: 6,000 confirmed planets orbiting stars beyond our Sun. The official count, maintained by the NASA Exoplanet Archive at IPAC/Caltech through the NExScI center, reflects decades of discovery efforts, from space-based observatories to ground-based surveys. Importantly, more than 8,000 additional candidates await…