Scientists Have Identified 24 Planets That Could Be More Habitable Than Earth

Scientists from an American university say they have discovered no less than 24 planets outside of our solar system, which they believe to have conditions that are even better suited to nurturing life than Earth.

The new study was conducted by the boffins over at Washington State University and saw the researchers cataloguing the characteristics of potentially 'superhabitable' planets out there in the mists of space.

The planets they've studied are a bloody long way away - everything is, out in space - but could represent a decent chance of discovering life on other planets, as well as other potential worlds for human habitation, one day.

OK, they're more than 100 light years away, which is the first hurdle, but we can dream, can't we?

The leader of the study, Professor Dirk Schulze-Makuch explained: "With the next space telescopes coming up, we will get more information, so it is important to select some targets. We have to focus on certain planets that have the most promising conditions for complex life.

"However, we have to be careful to not get stuck looking for a second Earth because there could be planets that might be more suitable for life than ours."

But, what makes a planet more habitable than this lovely green and blue rock?

Well, they might be a bit warmers or a bit older, or maybe even larger or wetter than our planet. After all, it's not all about humans, is it?

Life of all sorts could thrive on planets such as these, and it would be helpful if they were orbiting stars that change more slowly than our sun, apparently.

There was one planet in particular that caught the eyes of the scientists as looking superhabitable, which means there is a good chance that life might already exist down there

We'll just have to keep looking at it from a distance, though. As we've already covered, all of these planets are a very long way away.

The Professor continued: "It's sometimes difficult to convey this principle of superhabitable planets because we think we have the best planet.

"We have a great number of complex and diverse lifeforms, and many that can survive in extreme environments.

"It is good to have adaptable life, but that doesn't mean that we have the best of everything."

Ha, who actually thinks we have the best planet? Perhaps we might if it wasn't so full of humans.

Featured Image Credit: Pixabay

Topics: Science, World News, Interesting, US News, Technology, Weird, space

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

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