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The landscape on a Hycean Planet – Graphic by Amanda Smith/Nikku Madhusudhan.
In the quest for life beyond our planet, researchers have primarily focused on planets with sizes, masses, temperatures, and atmospheric compositions similar to Earth.
However, a recent study by scientists from the University of Cambridge, UK, suggests that changing the approach in the search for potentially habitable planets could increase the chances of discovery.
According to the scientists, this new class of exoplanets is called “Hycean,” and it represents a promising new candidate with a multitude of Hycean worlds scattered throughout the galaxy.
Hycean exoplanets are hot worlds but are covered by a vast liquid water ocean beneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. They are easier to observe compared to Earth-like planets due to their surface temperatures, which allow astronomers to detect them more readily through telescopes.
The scientists believe that the discovery of signs of life beyond the Solar System could happen within the next two to three years.
Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan, head of the research team at the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, said that they have opened up an entirely new path in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Dr. Madhusudhan stated, “Essentially, as we search for different molecular signs, we have been focused on Earth-like planets, which is a reasonable place to start. However, Hycean planets offer a completely new direction, providing better chances in the search for life elsewhere.”