Researchers don discover the first atmosphere wey dey surround an Earth-like, rocky planet wey dey orbit inside the habitable zone of a distant star. The researchers say their discovery provide the strongest evidence so far say worlds with conditions similar to Earth fit exist beyond our solar system.
The gas wey dem detect inside the atmosphere na helium, wey no fit support life, but other gasses fit still dey present. The lead author, Dr Collin Cherubim of Harvard University, describe the discovery as “a big deal”. “Dis na the first time anybody don find atmosphere on a rocky planet for the habitable zone of another star.”
The planet wey dem call LHS 1140 b, dey 48 light-years from Earth, dey orbit a red star wey much smaller and cooler than our Sun. More than 6,000 worlds don dey discovered wey dey orbit distant stars. But the new discovery dey important because e dey bring us a step closer to one of the biggest prizes for science: the discovery of life on another world.
The researchers, wey write inside the journal Science, dey clear – dem no don do that, at least not yet. But for planet to support life e must get water and for that e must dey the right distance from its star: not too close because e go too hot and not too far, because e go too cold – but somewhere in between where e go be “just right”. Planetary scientists call this the “Goldilocks zone”, after the fairy tale girl wey dey fussy about the temperature of her porridge.
Hundreds of planets don dey found inside the Goldilocks zones of their respective stars – but only a few dozen dey small and rocky – like our own Earth – which be another tick for planet ability to support life. But none of those don be found to get atmosphere. Until now.
But the only gas wey dem discover for the atmosphere so far na helium, probably for the upper atmosphere, wey on its own no go support life. But there fit be other, more life-sustaining gases, lower down. Dr David Charbonneau, also from Harvard, talk say the important thing na the discovery of an Earth-like planet outside our solar system with atmosphere.
“People dey generally interested for the big questions: We dey alone? There be life beyond the Earth or beyond our solar system? To that end, this study reveal the first atmosphere wey dem discover on a rocky planet for the habitable zone of a star outside our solar system,” e talk.
LHS 1140b no be the only world wey dey under scrutiny for the search of life. K2-18b, a sub-Neptune with possible water-rich interior, make headlines when scientists spot signs of dimethyl sulphide — a gas wey dey linked to marine life on Earth. But a Nasa-led reanalysis for 2025 find the signal too weak to confirm, and show say the gas fit form without biology.
The seven rocky worlds of TRAPPIST-1 still dey tantalising, too: Nasa’s James Webb Space Telescope rule out an Earth-like atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1d, while TRAPPIST-1e data still dey frustratingly inconclusive.
