Alien life could be more common than some may believe. A new study claims that nine out of ten Earth-like planets that orbit binary star systems could offer the proper conditions for aline life.
Binary star systems represent almost 50% of all solar systems. This type of solar system is more prone to hosting planets similar to our own, with a tilted planetary axis that works doesn’t undergo too many changes, which is a great boon since it ensures that the climate will also remain stable.
A team of researchers argues that up to 87% of all the distant planets that are classified as exo-Earths could share the same axial tilt. The results of the study can be applied to a high number of solar systems, but it seems that planets similar to Earth tend to appear more often in binary star systems instead of those with a single sun.
Researchers claim that alien life could be quite common
Previous works argue that the small shifts in the axial tilt of our planet favored a climate that can support life, while the dramatic changes that took place on Mars compromised the atmosphere and rendered the Red Planet sterile.
An advanced computer simulation allowed researchers to observe how the axis of Earth would behave if it were placed in the habitable zones of other star systems spread across the universe. The simulation involved a close star system called Alpha Centauri AB, situated at four light-years away from Earth.
The results infer that planets similar to Earth could be found around Alpha Centauri A. Still, the same chances are considerably lower in the case of Star B. Breakthrough Initiatives is working on a mission that plans to launch a solar-sail probe that could reach and explore the solar system in the future. The moon has also played an essential role in keeping the tilt of our planet stable. More information can be found in a study that was published in a scientific journal.
