Planet more hospitable to life than Earth is already been discovered

Earth, often considered the best planet for supporting life, is not the only contender in the Universe. Scientists have identified other potential worlds that could be even more suitable for life, and one such candidate is KOI 5715.01, located approximately 3,000 light-years away from our Solar System. However, KOI 5715.01 goes beyond meeting the basic requirements and exhibits characteristics that make it a potential superhabitable planet.

Belonging to a planetary system approximately 5.5 billion years old, KOI 5715.01 is about one billion years older than our Solar System. Furthermore, its size nearly meets the criteria for superhabitable worlds, with scientists seeking planets up to 1.5 times the mass of Earth and about 10% larger. This size difference contributes to better heat retention, and if the average temperature were about 5 °C (8 °F) higher than Earth's, the exoplanet could potentially harbor even richer biodiversity. However, being nearly double the size of Earth, KOI 5715.01 may exceed this ideal condition, and studies indicate that it is currently colder than our planet. Nonetheless, with the right atmospheric composition, a strong greenhouse effect could raise temperatures to the desired level, offering hope for potential habitability.

Another superhabitable candidate, Kepler-69 c, lies approximately 2,700 light-years away from us and is a super-Earth believed to be around 7 billion years old. This age places it within the estimated 5 to 8 billion years range, which scientists consider the optimal time for superhabitable planets to develop complex life forms, based on Earth's history. Kepler-69 c, however, might be slightly too large for the superhabitable category, with a mass nearly four times that of Earth. Such a large rocky planet could have a single colossal continent with vast deserts at its center. Nevertheless, the coastlines washed by Kepler's ocean could potentially offer a hospitable spot for life.

Moving closer to our own Solar System, we find Kepler-1126 b, another super-Earth with similar naming but located just a bit closer to Earth. Its proximity makes it an intriguing prospect for further exploration and observation.

In the search for superhabitable planets, scientists continue to study and analyze these distant worlds, looking for the right conditions that could support life as we know it or, perhaps, even surpass the potential of our own planet. These discoveries open up new possibilities in understanding the diversity of the Universe and the potential for life beyond Earth.

This planet is about 2,073 light-years away and belongs to a system that is 7.5 billion years old. It also orbits a yellow dwarf star much like our own. Only Kepler-1126 b is 2.5 times closer to its star than Earth is to the Sun. But that's no big deal. Because the star Kepler-1126 b orbits is cooler than ours. So the habitable zone would exist in a range much closer in proximity to it

If you aren't feeling this nearness to a scorching hot star, there's another super-Earth on our list. And it's at a reasonable distance from home. SPECULOOS 2c is located only 106 light-years away. Not that its proximity gives it any kind of advantage. It would still take you well over 200,000 years to travel to this super-Earth. And that's if you moved at the speed of NASA's Parker Solar Probe, the fastest probe ever launched.

SPECULOOS 2c does look promising, though. It's part of a system that is about 7 billion years old. It's about 40% larger than There's also potential for it being a rocky planet, just like ours. Despite the fact that it also exists in a habitable zone, its red dwarf star is still very small. It's only about 15% the size of our Sun. So this planet orbits around the star at a very close distance.

This close distance could mean that SPECULOOS 2e is tidally locked to its star. This super-Earth takes 8.5 days to make one full rotation on its axis, as well as one orbit around its star. That would leave one side of the planet in constant daylight, with the other in endless might.

All this means that life could be possible in the terminator zone, the thin strip of land between these two sides. We just need to get a better look to find out for sure. But with all these candidates so far away, wouldn't it be nicer if the planets in our own Solar System were a little more habitable?