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Water Worlds Discovered: New Insights on Extraterrestrial Life

8/25/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Astronomers discovered water-covered planets in the Kepler-138 system, 218 light-years away, challenging super-Earth assumptions.
Kepler-138c and Kepler-138d show unexpected densities, indicating high water content.
Kepler-138e is in the habitable zone but cannot be accurately measured due to its transit position.
Researchers in Canada found ancient salty water in a mine, revealing microbial life surviving without sunlight for over 2.6 billion years.
This discovery raises questions about the potential for similar life in extraterrestrial environments.

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Story summary

Astronomers discovered water-covered planets in the Kepler-138 system, 218 light-years away, challenging super-Earth assumptions.
Kepler-138c and Kepler-138d show unexpected densities, indicating high water content.
Kepler-138e is in the habitable zone but cannot be accurately measured due to its transit position.
Researchers in Canada found ancient salty water in a mine, revealing microbial life surviving without sunlight for over 2.6 billion years.
This discovery raises questions about the potential for similar life in extraterrestrial environments.