&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Cosmic ray pinging across universe can trigger life on bodies far from their Sun")
The search for alien life is mostly limited to the “Goldilocks Zone”, that is, the distance from a star where liquid water and ample light could exist for life to thrive. However, a new study has raised questions about this theory. It states that even if a planet is far away from its host star, it could still support life. Scientists from New York University Abu Dhabi’s Centre for Astrophysics and Space Science state that cosmic rays can also carry enough energy to sustain life in a remote world. These rays are high-speed beams of particles that bounce from one point to another across the universe. They theorise that a process known as radiolysis can begin in bodies that are far away from their host star. When the cosmic rays reach a planet, they can penetrate deep inside and strike underground reservoirs of water, splitting the water particles. The study can change the definition of a habitable zone in different star systems. Also Read: Can a country barricade the Moon? NASA fears losing out to China because of its own safety zone rule
Also Read: Between Japan and Alaska, a dark alien world at 31,000 feet has stunned scientists. Here's why
Mars, Jupiter and Saturn moons were analysed for cosmic rays
The subject of their experiments includes Mars, Saturnian moon Enceladus and Jovian moon Europa. They carried out simulations to determine how exposure to different levels of cosmic rays could influence the surfaces of the three bodies. The moons were chosen because years of research have led scientists to believe that both of them contain water below their icy surface. The experiment aimed at understanding whether radiolysis could happen on these three bodies. They ended up with some promising results, especially with regard to Enceladus. The paper states that all three bodies could support some level of radiolysis, with the Saturnian moon emerging as the frontrunner. The revelation was published in a paper in the International Journal of Astrobiology. Also Read: Scientist reveals HOW and WHEN alien 'mothership' could attack Earth, warns governments to take action
What is the habitable zone? Which alien planet could host life?
Trending Stories
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Argentina firefighting helicopter crashes, killing 7 on rescue mission
)
Kangana Ranaut clarifies her 'Generation Gutter' remark: 'Gen Z of our country are taking us to such heights' - watch
)
Assam floods 2026: Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt and other Bollywood celebrities extend support to affected families
)
US Fed keeps rates unchanged, but Iran war price pressures trigger unusual split
)
India avoids higher US tariff, secures lower 10% rate. Here's how
)
Ramayana trailer X review: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash shine in a visual spectacle fans call 'cinema at its finest'
)
28-year-old woman PhD scholar dies of electrocution on Panjab University campus
)
Underwater lightning bolts in the Pacific Ring of Fire baffle scientists
)
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke returns to Maharashtra, receives grand welcome in hometown
)
Ramayana Part 1 trailer out! Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash lead Nitesh Tiwari’s epic saga
)
Brewery offering 'free beer' the day Trump dies has license revoked - 'Will have to pry me out of my taprooms'
)
'There is no Pakistani Kashmir, only Pakistan-occupied Kashmir': Indian Embassy in US calls out 'misleading' NYT headline
)
3.6mn people track 24hr Qantas flight from Melbourne to Toulouse: Pilot shifts, fuel tank and other details
)
Cat’s bizarre reaction before Japan earthquake goes viral: Did it detect the tremors?
)
ITR filing without Form 16? Here’s how salaried taxpayers can submit returns before July 31 deadline
)
After BTS' Grammys boycott, HYBE breaks silence: 'This is not a boycott at the company level'
)
DSP among 7 policemen killed as militants storm Pakistan checkpost; 8 attackers dead
)
NEET Protests riddled with misinformation? Delhi Police blocks 480 Pakistan-based handles spreading 'fake news' since Operation Sindoor
)
North Korean colonel killed by firing squad for stealing grain as 'deeply shaken' officers watched
)
'Powerful response': US launches fresh revenge strikes on Iran after Trump vow to 'hit back hard'
)
Iran’s AI breakthrough amid war: New indigenous system boosts oil recovery by 59% | Gravitas
)
Russia-Ukraine War: Putin's big warning amid Ukraine war escalation
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
Are you an Indian on an H-1B visa? New US bill could make getting Green Card easier
)
582 tonnes, 150 million°C, 60 years: WION Decodes the mind-boggling numbers behind China's 'Artificial Sun'
)
Claude AI down? Anthropic confirms outage as users face errors across chatbot and API
)
Explosions heard on LNG vessels at Egypt's Damietta Port; fire erupts
)
'Yo Kangana, take a chill pill!' CJP's Saurav Das reacts to Ranaut's 'useless and unemployed' comment
)
‘We're going to be hitting them very hard’: Trump vows heavy strike after US intercepts Iranian missile attack
)
Student denied admission to IIT Kanpur's cybersecurity program hacks websites to prove a point
The team also gave a new name to this zone where life could possibly thrive, calling it the Radiolytic Habitable Zone. Following their analysis, the researchers believe the thinking behind the habitable zone should be altered. Lead author of the study, Dimitra Atri, said in a statement, “This discovery changes the way we think about where life might exist. Instead of looking only for warm planets with sunlight, we can now consider places that are cold and dark, as long as they have some water beneath the surface and are exposed to cosmic rays. Life might be able to survive in more places than we ever imagined." Astronomers across the world are constantly looking for habitable worlds in the universe. The latest candidate that is believed to be capable of hosting life is the exoplanet K2-18b orbiting a small, red star in the constellation Leo.
