What kind of planet can support life?
The standard definition for a habitable planet is one that can sustain life for a significant period of time. As far as researchers know, this requires a planet to have liquid water. To detect this water from space, it must be on the planet’s surface.
How come Earth can support life and other planets Cannot?
Part of Hall of Planet Earth. What makes the Earth habitable? It is the right distance from the Sun, it is protected from harmful solar radiation by its magnetic field, it is kept warm by an insulating atmosphere, and it has the right chemical ingredients for life, including water and carbon.
What planets could sustain life?
Planet Earth. In addition to being the birthplace of humanity and the cradle of human civilization, Earth is the only known planet in our Solar System that is capable of sustaining life. As a terrestrial planet, Earth is located within the Inner Solar System between between Venus and Mars (which are also terrestrial planets).
How many planets exist that can support life?
It turns out that in the Milky Way, scientists now believe that there are 60 billion planets in the habitable zone. The habitable zone is located where a planet is warm enough to keep water on the surface in liquid form without it turning into gas [source: Gannon ].
What is the closest planet to support life?
A newly discovered Earth-sized world could be the closest planet capable of supporting life, scientists believe. The planet, named Ross 128b, and despite being 11 light-years away it is moving towards our solar system.
Which planet is able to support living things?
Earth is unique in the Solar System as being the only planet which is able to support life in all its forms: from basic living micro-organisms to highly sophisticated and intelligent human beings. There are many reasons why this happens.