Atmosphere discovery makes Trappist-1 exoplanet priority in hunt for alien life
by Ian Sample Science editor from on (#2PYS9)
An atmosphere that could have enveloped it for billions of years and possible liquid water make planet most likely home for life, say scientists
An Earth-sized world that swings around a star in the constellation of Aquarius has become a priority in the search for extraterrestrial life after scientists found that an atmosphere could have enveloped the planet for billions of years.
The planet is one of seven circling a small and feeble star called Trappist-1 which astronomers reported in a wave of excitement in February this year. The rocky world lies in the habitable zone around its parent star, where temperatures should allow for free-running water, but that would count for little if the planet has no atmosphere.