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Space & Astronomy

Real-life Tatooine could host life

By T.K. Randall
June 17, 2013 · Comment icon

13 comments

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Distant solar systems with more than one star could be good places to look for habitable worlds.

Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine may not be quite so far-fetched thanks to new research exploring the possibility of habitable planets in binary star systems. When a system has two stars, the damaging solar winds that can blast away a planet's protective atmosphere may be better held in check because of the way the stars interact.

"The stars calm each other down," said researcher Joni Clark. "It's like a really good marriage. They vent to each other, and they're not focused on anything else. They slow each other down and that causes increased magnetic protection of the planets."

Luke Skywalker would be proud. Planets like Skywalker's fictional home of Tatooine in the "Star Wars" movie series might have more potential for habitability than planets in other systems, research suggests.

Source: Yahoo! News | Comments (13)

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Recent comments on this story

#4 Posted by marcos anthony toledo 12 years ago

Finding life in this galaxy is becoming more possible with each new extra solar study.

#5 Posted by Frank Merton 12 years ago

Finding life in this galaxy is becoming more possible with each new extra solar study. It's hard to be more possible than possible, and that is about what it is. There are probably somewhere between a million and a billion planets and moons that in theory could harbor life, which is what we could say about Venus, the Moon, Mars, Europa, Titan, and maybe a few others in our system, in addition of course to the earth. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the ability to have life on them is but one uncertainty we have to consider. Other uncertainties are the chances of life evolving, the chances ... [More]

#6 Posted by sam_comm 12 years ago

Interesting discoveries because with the number of binar systems in our galaxy the odds of finding life are greater. Now we have a confirmation that various conditions and not only those of the Earth are suited for life.

#7 Posted by DieChecker 12 years ago

And to think that just a couple years ago, the experts were saying not to even bother looking for planets in binary system, because they probably would not form there.

#8 Posted by krypter3 12 years ago

It's hard to be more possible than possible, and that is about what it is. There are probably somewhere between a million and a billion planets and moons that in theory could harbor life, which is what we could say about Venus, the Moon, Mars, Europa, Titan, and maybe a few others in our system, in addition of course to the earth. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the ability to have life on them is but one uncertainty we have to consider. Other uncertainties are the chances of life evolving, the chances of life surviving several billion years, the chances of it evolving into complex forms,... [More]

#9 Posted by spud the mackem 12 years ago

We are one of a million or more species on this planet,some of which have been here a lot longer than us,and a lot can survive in extreme heat or cold that would kill us,so why do we think we may be alone in the universe,there could also be other life forms not based on carbon,we cannot be alone,but cannot at the moment prove it,but one day ?????

#10 Posted by DieChecker 12 years ago

I think dolphins were just recognized as a sentient species in India.... So, we're not alone anyway... http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=248584&st=0

#11 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 12 years ago

I honestly think it would just be an awful waste of space and monumentally boring if we are the only life out here. The universe does not care about what humans think is boring or a waste. It is what it is. The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.Neil deGrasse TysonWhether we are alone or part of a universe teaming with life is not a result of human desire or sentiment, hope or fears, it is a result of the laws of nature. Human judges can show mercy. But against the laws of nature, there is no appeal.Arthur C. ClarkeTo quote Sir Arthur again: Two possibi... [More]

#12 Posted by Frank Merton 12 years ago

While it seems impossible that we are the only life out there, there are reasons to think we may be the only intelligent, sentient, technological life we are likely to ever encounter. Indeed, I remember seeing estimates that there might be only one occurrence of us in the entire observable space. I'm not so sure that is a boring prospect. Think of all the worlds we will have no moral qualms colonizing. On the other hand, if life is common, these worlds may well be off limits for both biological (mutual poisoning) and ethical (cutting off potential evolution) reasons.

#13 Posted by DieChecker 12 years ago

Even if Earth is the only life right now. It will spread. Even if life has to wait till a gigantic asteroid hits the Earth and fragments with microorganisms go flinging out and it takes a million or a billion years for one to fall on another world, life will spread. Whenever we send a man made device out into space, it is a chance for life to spread. If planets are as common as is being infered these days, and if we can assume that a star would attract intersteller debris, then we can assume that eventually most big bits of matter will fall onto a planet and eventually some of those microorgan... [More]

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