Earth is the only planet we know of so far to have life, but it may not be the best place for life when compared with “superhabitable” planets, according to a new study by scientists.
A superhabitable planet is a type of exoplanet or exomoon that may be better suited than Earth for the emergence and evolution of life. In a new study, Schulze-Makuch (lead study author and professor for astrobiology and planetary habitability at Washington State University) and his coauthors identified 24 exoplanets that may host life and they are more than 100 light-years away.
Light-year is a unit of astronomical distance equivalent to the distance that light travels in one year. The authors caution that this does not mean they have confirmed that life exists on these planets. Instead, it means that these planets could have conditions that are conducive to life.