In order for life to exist on the planet, liquid water must be present on its surface. Calculating the likelihood of this scenario seemed almost impossible before. It was previously assumed that terrestrial planets receive water randomly, as a result of a large ice asteroid hitting the planet's surface.
In a new study, scientists from the GLOBE Institute at Copenhagen University, Denmark, have published breakthrough results showing that water may have been present in the planetary matter even during their formation phase. According to the team's calculations, this scenario could have occurred in the case of Earth, Venus and Mars.
In the future, Johannessen and his team plan to test their hypothesis with observations that will be carried out using a new generation of space telescopes, which will provide more opportunities for observing exoplanets orbiting stars other than the Sun.
In a new study, scientists from the GLOBE Institute at Copenhagen University, Denmark, have published breakthrough results showing that water may have been present in the planetary matter even during their formation phase. According to the team's calculations, this scenario could have occurred in the case of Earth, Venus and Mars.
In the future, Johannessen and his team plan to test their hypothesis with observations that will be carried out using a new generation of space telescopes, which will provide more opportunities for observing exoplanets orbiting stars other than the Sun.