Super earths proven: Life there could be better than on our planet

Researchers suspect that life is possible on so-called super-earths.

The planets are much bigger and heavier than the earth.

• In search of other

  earths

  : the Kepler space telescope discovers 4,000

  exoplanets

  .

• The

  super-earth Kepler 20b

  is twice the size of our home planet.

• Space exploration *: All information and news on our topic page.

Washington DC - They are similar to the

earth

, but they are several times larger than our planet.

According to the latest scientific results,

super-earths

are the most common planets in our galaxy.

Its mass is ten times that of the earth - if you believe science, that could make it the perfect home planet for humans.

The

NASA

already succeeded in discovering (*

fr.de

) reported one of these super-Earths.

On super earth: good conditions for life

Since 2009 the Kepler space telescope has discovered around 4,000

exoplanets

.

30 percent of them are so-called super-earths.

And a small percentage of these

super-earths

are in a livable zone.

The surface of the planet is not too hot or too cold for liquid water to reside there.

It

there is a chance that some of the super-earths are not solid rocky worlds like the earth, but consist predominantly of hydrogen and helium - similar to the

planets

Jupiter and Saturn - which in turn do not offer a life-friendly climate.

However, liquid water and a large mass are good prerequisites for

super-earths

to be habitable by living things.

Because planets with greater

mass

have a stronger

gravitational force

.

Super earth: ten times as heavy as the earth

For

example, the

super-earth Kepler 20b

is twice the size of the earth and ten times as heavy.

As a result, the attraction of the surface is almost three times stronger.

A planet with a stronger gravitational force can hold more air molecules and create a stronger atmosphere.

This in turn protects the planet from harmful radiation from

space

.

In addition, mountains and hills would be removed faster, the surface of the

super-earth

would be flatter.

Because the erosion would form flat islands around the planet and offer a habitable area.

However, it would be problematic for the potential inhabitants of the super-earth

to leave

their

planet

.

For example, on the super-earth Kepler 20b, twice as high a speed must be reached as on earth.

Rockets would therefore use more fuel to get to their destination.

(Zülal Acar)

* FR.de is part of the nationwide Ippen digital editorial network.