Earth like planets

Earth like planets

A new study has estimated that we will be able to detect oxygen in the atmosphere of Earth-like planets orbiting white dwarf stars within the next decade.

This would be a huge leap forward in the search for extraterrestrial life.

A new study finds that we could detect oxygen in the atmosphere of a habitable planet orbiting a white dwarf (as shown in this artist's illustration) much more easily than for an Earth-like planet orbiting a Sun-like star. Here the ghostly blue ring is a planetary nebula -- hydrogen gas the star ejected as it evolved from a red giant to a white dwarf. (Credit: David A. Aguilar (CfA))

Even dying stars could host planets with life -- and if such life exists, we might be able to detect it within the next decade. This encouraging result comes from a new theoretical study of Earth-like planets orbiting white dwarf stars. Researchers found that we could detect oxygen in the atmosphere of a white dwarf's planet much more easily than for an Earth-like planet orbiting a Sun-like star.