Beyond the habitable zone: Exoplanet atmospheres are the next clue to finding life on planets orbiting distant stars
- Written by Morgan Underwood, Ph.D. Candidate in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University
Some exoplanets, like the one shown in this illustration, may have atmospheres that could make them potentially suitable for life. NASA/JPL-Caltech via APWhen astronomers search for planets that could host liquid water on their surface, they start by looking at a star’s habitable zone. Water is a key ingredient for life, and on a planet too...





