4.6 Article

Is life most likely around Sun-like stars?

Journal

Publisher

IOP Publishing Ltd
DOI: 10.1088/1475-7516/2018/05/020

Keywords

solar physics; stars

Funding

  1. Breakthrough Prize Foundation
  2. Ilarvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences
  3. Institute for Theory and Computation (ITC) at Harvard University

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We consider the habitability of Earth-analogs around stars of different masses, which is regulated by the stellar lifetime, stellar wind-induced atmospheric erosion, and biologically active ultraviolet (UV) irradiance. By estimating the timescales associated with each of these processes, we show that they collectively impose limits on the habitability of Earth-analogs. We conclude that planets orbiting most M-dwarfs are riot likely to host life, and that the highest probability of complex biospheres is for planets around K- and C-type stars. Our analysis suggests that the current existence of life near the Sun is slightly unusual, but not significantly anomalous.

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