Metal-Rich Stars Are Less Suitable for the Evolution of Life on Their Planets

Metal-rich stars are less suitable for the evolution of life on their planets

Atmospheric ozone and oxygen protect the terrestrial biosphere against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Here, we model atmospheres of Earth-like planets hosted by stars with near-solar effective temperatures (5300 to 6300 K) and a broad range of metallicities covering known exoplanet host stars. We show that paradoxically, although metal-rich stars emit substantially less ultraviolet radiation than metal-poor stars, the surface of their plane…

Stellar flares may hamper search for life in promising star system

Astronomers have been trying to detect atmospheres on planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, but bursts of radiation from the star make this challenging

Study finds solar flares may trigger short-term weather shifts on planets

Solar flares, those intense bursts of radiation from stars, can cause rapid weather changes on planets, even on Earth, according to scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.