September 28, 2022

Super Earths are out there

Scientists find most exoplanets they have discovered are similar to our home world.

Super Earths VIEW LARGER Artist's illustration of an Earth-type exoplanet.
NASA

Astronomers are looking more closely at far-away exoplanets that are a lot like Earth, only bigger.

University of Arizona researcher Chris Impey says many of them could be water-covered worlds that might harbor life.

Oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface but they only account for a small percentage of our planet's total mass.

Impey notes a super-Earth’s mass is much larger, so there’s likely more water there.

“The Earth is actually a fairly dry planet. The percentage of mass that’s in the oceans is less than a tenth of a percent," he said. "You could find super-Earths with 10% of their mass in oceans. So, if you need water for life, there’s tons of water.”

Scientists have discovered thousands of exoplanets orbiting distant stars, with thousands more yet to be confirmed.

Impey explains that super-Earths are the most common type of exoplanet, with the nearest one only 6 light years away from our own world.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona