Isobel Whitcomb is a contributing writer for Live Science who covers the environment, animals and health. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Fatherly, Atlas Obscura, Hakai Magazine and Scholastic's Science World Magazine. Isobel's roots are in science.
Are we alone in the universe? If you consider how vast space is, such a possibility seems extremely unlikely. In the Milky Way alone, there are billions of star systems similar to ours, up to half of which could have an Earth-like planet, according to one model.
CeresThis tiny dwarf planet, around 1/20 the size of Pluto, is found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. According to NASA, the planet has two of the most important ingredients for life: organic compounds and water. However, the atmosphere on this planet is thin and it's likely very cold. In 2018 students, with the support of scientists from the European Space Agency, proposed a mission to collect and return samples from this planet.
EnceladusIn 2017, on its way to Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft paid a visit to Enceladus, one of the planet’s largest moons. According to Space.com, that mission discovered both liquid water and organic molecules — both important ingredients for life. HD 110067Powerful technology like the James Webb Space Telescope has enabled scientists to search for habitable exoplanets — planets outside of our solar system. HD 110067, a star system hosting six planets smaller than Neptune, is one site of interest for scientists searching for extraterrestrial life.
TRAPPIST-1Recently, the James Webb Space Telescope turned its mirrors towards a far-away star orbited by seven Earth-sized worlds, Space.com reported. Located 39 light years away, the star system is visible in the Aquarius constellation. Most promising is the fourth planet from the star, dubbed TRAPPIST-1e.
GJ-486This exoplanet whizzes around its host star so quickly that a year only lasts 1.5 Earth days, according to Webb Space Telescope. While the surface of the planet is a whopping 800 degrees F — likely too hot for life — the James Webb Space Telescope detected hints of water vapor, a potential sign that the planet has an atmosphere.
The center of our galaxyAliens at the core of the our galaxy would be in a privileged position to catch our attention — they’d be able to reach a vast swath of space by fanning signals outward. That’s why some scientists are turning their search for extraterrestrial life to the middle of the Milky Way.
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