04-30-2025, 04:44 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-30-2025, 04:46 PM by stevebowers.)
Yeah, since the announcement comes from a particular group of astronomers who seem to be invested in the concept of a 'hycean' planet. These are superearths which are large enough to retain hydrogen; this would create an odd species of planet where any free oxygen is converted into water, so they could only support anaerobic life.
However most hydrogen-rich superearths would be mini-neptunes, and the oceans would probably be pyrothallassic or pyrohydrothallassic (to use OA terms), making life as we know it very unlikely.
The fraction of worlds that are 'hycean' strictu sensu, with shallow Earth-like oceans and a hydrogen/helium atmosphere, is likely to be small, and this isn't one (judging by the density). I note that (in some models) Earth had a hydrogen-rich atmosphere in the early stages of its existence, but it can't have lasted very long.
However most hydrogen-rich superearths would be mini-neptunes, and the oceans would probably be pyrothallassic or pyrohydrothallassic (to use OA terms), making life as we know it very unlikely.
The fraction of worlds that are 'hycean' strictu sensu, with shallow Earth-like oceans and a hydrogen/helium atmosphere, is likely to be small, and this isn't one (judging by the density). I note that (in some models) Earth had a hydrogen-rich atmosphere in the early stages of its existence, but it can't have lasted very long.